HurtComfort
by CynicAlb
Summary: Okay, Daniel gets hurt, and then he gets hurt again and again....Anyone see a pattern forming here?
1. PrologueTeaser

Hurt/Comfort

Genre: H/C, angst, humor, whumping, and others I can't think of right now.

Summary: Daniel's been having a run of bad luck, is he cursed? Or is someone out to get him?

A/N I had posted this teaser last year and forgot about it I'm reposting with the intention of finishing the story. Sorry for the wait. Cynic-al

* * *

Prologue 

Jack pushed passed Frasier and ripped open the curtain partition.

"Sir!" cried Sam tears already streaming down her face.

"No, Carter!" yelled Jack then he turned to the gurney and Daniel laid prone pale against the white sheets. "He's not dead." he said sternly not turning around he advanced on the bed and put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "Daniel," he said giving him a shake, "you're not dead!" he stared into glassy eyes the body unmoved unyielding to his touch. Jack gathered the man into his arms. "You can't be dead," he whispered, "you're not dead." Daniel stared over Jack's shoulder at Sam's stricken face and Teal'c's frozen mask. Janet pulled the curtain around them and he saw that she too was upset. "You're not dead." Jack breathed on his shoulder.

'No,' thought Daniel, though he couldn't say it, 'I'm not dead.' Janet eased Jack off him and they laid Daniel back onto the bed then with one final look that said goodbye she pulled a sheet over Daniel's head. 'Wait,' said Daniel silently, 'Jack, I'm not dead. I'm not dead.' He repeated unheard, for hours, 'I'm not dead. I'm not dead,' but as the drawer slammed home in the morgue, he began to consider, 'Maybe I am dead.'

* * *


	2. Chapter 1

Hurt/Comfort

Chapter one

"Grr," Sam looked up sharply from where she was digging.

"Did you just growl?" she asked.

Daniel's blush was visible even in the dimness of the cave, "No, it was my stomach."

"Oh good, I thought it was just me. How many MRE's do we have left?"

Daniel leaned back slightly to the supplies.

"Not enough." He said hunching forward resolutely sighing. 'Grr'. "Sorry."

"No, that was me." Sam grinned with no humor. "The air's a little thin." She said changing the subject from their complaining stomachs.

"I can feel a draft though." said Daniel.

"So there is circulation. It's just a matter of whether or not it's circulating through another set of caves or the outside."

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "If the air is coming from outside, at the very least we won't suffocate, and we can use the draft to find a way out."

"But if it's not coming from outside, but another sealed chamber then air becomes an issue." A smile slid across his face. "But either way we won't starve to death." He grabbed one of the MRE.'s and proceeded and proceeded to divide its contents between the two of them.

"Yummy," said Carter "Cold Macaroni and cheese."

"Close your eyes it almost tastes like chicken salad."

Sam made a face. "That's disgusting," but dug in hungrily anyway. "How long has it been since we lost contact?" Daniel consulted the glowing face of his watch.

"About four hours. I guess Jack found his fishing-hole and decided that he wasn't going to bother us while we're working."

"There's a first time for everything I suppose."

"You're right he probably fell asleep."

"Let's give them a little more credit shall we?"

"True they could be digging for us as we speak." said Daniel thoughtfully, "In which case we have nothing to worry about."

"Except..." said Sam, pointing to the looming specter of the Stargate just feet from where they sat, in the caved in cavern, lit only by two small halogen lamps.

* * *

Cue ominous music and roll the opening credits:D Okay this is a long haul people so I'm starting you out slow the chapters will get longer as we go. Don't forget to tip your waitress and on with the show! LOL Cynic 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Jack was pulled from his fishing daze, by the nagging feeling that something was wrong. He glanced at the large Jaffa stood at his right and the feeling went up a few notches.

"Teal'c?"

"Daniel Jackson and Major Carter did not report in as you ordered."

"They probably just forgot you know what those two are like when they get going on a project."

"I am aware; however, the time of their second check-in is almost upon us should we not be heading back towards the Stargate?"

Jack stretched out and stood. "It's almost time for our check-in with Hammond too, I guess we'll go and disturb the geeks and get them to eat at least once today."

Teal'c inclined his head and began a steady pace back to the gate. Jack took a second to pull on his jacket and as he caught up with Teal'c he tried his radio.

"Carter, Daniel come in?" he paused, but there was nothing but static. "Carter, Daniel? Respond." Jack glanced at Teal'c worriedly and the Jaffa lengthened his stride.

* * *

"It's occurs to me we might not starve or suffocate if we continue to dig in these rocks." said Daniel wiping his sweaty brow. Sam nodded taking another rock from him.

"If we're not careful we could bring the whole place down on our heads."

"That's not a good way to die." said Daniel meaningfully. "Trust me."

Sam gave him an understanding smile. She knew, having spent numerous nights in camps, prison cells, cages, caves and various other places, with Daniel that the cave-in on Shyla's planet was among the archeologists and her own most violent nightmares.

"We have no choice." she said gesturing to the gate in the dim light. "In two hours the General will dial in for a status report and…"

"And with nowhere to go we're going to get caught in that huge tidal wave that disintegrates everything in it's path."

Sam swallowed hard.

"Well let's start moving some rocks!" said Daniel brightly, Sam sighed and pushed herself back up on to her knees.

Daniel moved a few more rocks and was rewarded with a gust of air. "Hey," he said, "we've got a gap here." the both stared into the small void enjoying the little air circulation it provided.

"I don't see any light." said Sam.

"It's probably dark out there by now."

Sam shook her head. "Wishful thinking."

"Hey, I haven't come back from the dead 5 times without a little optimism." Sam stared at him, for a moment the silence hung with the gloom. "What?"

Sam shook her head. "It's nothing; I didn't realize it was that many times."

"Funny, for me it's seems like we're in some kind of jam every week!" He smiled at her without humor. "Let's get back to work; we have just over an hour to make ourselves a crawl space."

Sam nodded and they began pulling stones form the top of the opening and stacking them in front of the Stargate.

* * *

"SG-1, this is Stargate Command come in."

"General this is O'Neill."

"Colonel, report."

"The planet seems uninhabited sir, Carter and Daniel are examining some rocks by the gate, and Carter thinks they might house the remains of a Gould shield generator."

"Dr Jackson, Major what's your progress?"

"We've lost contact with them sir, we think they might be too deep into the caves. Teal'c and I were heading back to roust them now."

"Very, well Colonel, but try to reign in your team a little."

It was a joke but it held a little too much truth that really annoyed Jack.

* * *

We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors feel free to hit that review button:D 

Cynic-AL


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Sam fell on top of Daniel with an 'umph' as the last chevron engaged and the tidal wave surged forth. Daniel felt, besides the knee in his stomach, the rush of the wave graze his cheek in the alcove they'd managed to excavate. The shimmering pool of the gate illuminated the entire cave and their eyes burned from the sudden light.

"That was too close." said Sam gingerly rolling off of Daniel's chest. Daniel coughed in the dust disturbed about them and nodded wheezing slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked looking concerned in the light from the gate.

"It's okay," his voice grated, "you just knocked the wind of me that's all." he smiled to show he was alright and his labored breaths began to ease. Sam walked over to the small pile of rocks smoking in the path of the gate.

"No more refuse." she said with a smile that clearly said that could have been us. Daniel was still a little light headed, but he decided to crawl back into the alcove and pull a few more rocks out. "What are you doing?" asked Sam.

"Jack's probably talking to the General now," said Daniel carefully excavating a small boulder from the wall of stone, "so he's now realized we've been out of contact for several hours and he'll head back over here to find out what's up." Sam picked up the thread and the boulder.

"He'll get here and discover there's been a cave-in and begin to dig us out." Sam stared up at the shimmering pool. "If only we hadn't left our gear next to the DHD this would be so much easier."

"At least we have these." said Daniel gesturing to their discarded vests, "though if we had a working radio we could ask General Hammond to send through some digging equipment." Daniel sighed and sat back as the gate disengaged and they waited to readjust to the darkness. "What's wrong?" asked Sam.

"Just thinking," he said dusting out few smaller rocks from the wall.

"About?"

"How far do you think the gate from the cave entrance?"

"A few hundred yards." said Sam kicking the stones into the pile near the gate. "Why?"

"I was just think that if this," he gestured to the cave-in, "was a security measure protecting the device we're studying it was probably rigged to seal off the Stargate."

"But," said Sam catching on, "if it was just a cave in it could have brought the whole thing down right to the entrance and if that's the case…" she paused looking at Daniel.

"We're screwed." he finished succinctly, as he continued to dig at the fallen rocks in their path. Suddenly, he brightened and began to quickly clear some smaller rocks from the wall. "Hey, Sam." he called and she hurried over to him. "Do you think you can do something with this?" he pulled out a crumpled piece of plastic from the wall and placed it in her hands. "It's my radio it fell out of my pocket when we dived for cover!" Sam smiled at him.

"You're being optimistic again." she said.

"It's my nature to cling to the smallest glimmer of hope I can find." said Daniel with a weary smile.

* * *

I wrote this whole thing out long hand, but typing it up is really doing wonders for my WPM! Later Cynic 


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Jack kept trying to get a connection on the radio but all that penetrated the quiet of their walk back to the cave was the hiss of static over the air waves.

"O'Neill." said Teal'c as they approached the cave. Jack looked up, what was once the entrance to a huge cavern was now little more than a small cave.

"Is this the right cave?" he asked knowing it was wishing he was wrong.

"It is indeed O'Neill, though it appears there has been a cave-in of some magnitude."

"No kidding." said Jack advancing on the pile of rocks. "Daniel, Carter." He began to yell though the stone, "Daniel, Carter!" Teal'c came next to him and they began to dig out the rocks.

"Major Carter, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c called out as he threw large boulders aside.

* * *

"It's pretty beat up." said Sam taking Daniel crushed radio from his hands, "and it looks like the batteries have fallen out." Daniel looked defeated. "But…if I can find a power source and rig up an antenna I may be able to get it to work." Daniel smiled broadly, "But that's big maybe Daniel and even then if it does work there's no guarantee that the signal will be strong enough to penetrate these rocks." Daniel nodded.

"The batteries from one of the flashlights could work," he said, "But you're on your own for the antenna." He shrugged, rubbing his eyes beneath his increasingly dirty glasses. Sam eyes grew wide a she stared at him in excitement. "What is it?" he asked a little worried.

"Give me your glasses." She said excitedly.

"What for?" he asked incredulously.

"Just give them to me; I might be able to use the frames to make an antenna." Daniel still looked doubtful, but handed them over anyway. Instantly, his visual acuity went to nothing, Sam was a blur in front of him.

"Do you think you can do it without breaking the lens?" he asked carefully trying not to let on that she had essentially blinded him by taking his glasses. "Only I just got them and I wanted to stop at 15 pairs this year."

Sam smiled at him in the gloom, but Daniel couldn't see it. "I'll do my best." She said putting her hand on his knee.

"I'll keep working at the debris." He said slowly moving back to the wall trying to allow his vision to adjust better.

A while later, Daniel had done all he could with their tunnel; he'd hit a wall, literally. After clearing away a few more layers of smaller rocks he found his path barred by a huge stone slab. Daniel leaned his head against the cool rock he felt the breeze he'd been trying to dig out and even in the dimness without his glasses he could make out the fissure between the slab and fallen rocks. The air could be flowing from anywhere and been directed by the vent.

* * *

Jack and Teal'c had made good progress into the cave; they'd uncovered an open area around the DHD. Both Sam and Daniel's packs were leaning almost untouched beside it.

Jack looked around the room his gaze resting in the direction of where the Stargate should have been . A large stone slab had dropped down from the ceiling and had in effect completely cut them off from the 'gate.

"It would appear Major Carter and Daniel Jackson, have inadvertently tripped a security measure."

"And you didn't warn them about that possibility because?"

"I did not know, only extremely paranoid lesser goa'ulds use such extraordinary methods to prevent an enemy seizing control of the Stargate."

"Teal'c is this security measure meant to kill anyone trying to escape through the gate?"

"It is possible O'Neill, but most of these devices were simply meant to cut off escape."

"Okay, then let's assume Carter and Daniel are somewhere behind that." O'Neill gestured to the huge slab of rock. Teal'c nodded his assent. "I'm open to suggestions as to how to get through there."

"We have not the tools to dig O'Neill."

"No, and C-4 isn't and option it'll likely bring the whole place down on our heads."

"Indeed."

* * *

Ahh insomnia the friend of the late night talk show hosts. Cynic 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter five

Daniel and Sam lay in the tunnel side by side and tried to sleep. They'd been up for over a day and the exhaustive work had finally caught up with them. Unfortunately, sleeping quarters were tight because they both had to squeeze into their tunnel in case the gate activated while they slept.

"Sam." whispered Daniel to the woman by his side. She was struggling in her sleep from the pounding on his back he guessed she was climbing. Abruptly she stopped, and Daniel figured it was over until her heard her desperate whisper.

"It's an ice planet sir," she gasped exhausted from her climb.

"Sam," whispered Daniel putting his arms around her to sooth her. She was shivering. "Sam, Sam you're okay." He told her.

"I couldn't get it to work." She sobbed. "I don't know why it won't work."

"You did get it to work." He shushed. "We found the second gate and you saved Jack and everything is fine," Except we're buried in a cave under 100 tons of rock with no way out, he stifled this thought hugging Sam closer stroking her back in small circles as she relaxed and came out of the nightmare, falling back to sleep.

* * *

Jack hesitated dialing out if Daniel and Sam were near the gate they'd get fried, but as Teal'c so clearly pointed out if they were near the gate Hammond's check-in would have already done the damage he feared. Jack winced, and tried to push out the image of finding what was left of his friends smoking on the other side of the slab of rock. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and finished dialing.

* * *

The gate engaged with a flush and Daniel jumped with the noise. He didn't remember falling asleep but at some point he must have dozed off. Sam stirred beside him her arms had returned his hug and if he hadn't thought of Sam as sister he might have felt very uncomfortable. Sam stirred again opening her eyes to stare directly at Daniel.

"Hey." He said with a smile. "Did you order the early morning gate activation?" She stared at him confused still half-asleep, but as the shroud lifted she suddenly understood and realized that the light from the gate had woken her up.

Sam unwrapped herself from Daniel's arms wondering faintly about how they'd ended up in that position. "You had a nightmare." Daniel told her as if reading her thoughts. She nodded still a little drowsy. Daniel decided to change the subject for her benefit. "What are the chances that that's an out-going wormhole?" he asked gesturing to the shimmering gate.

"Doesn't matter." said Sam moving towards the light. "No GDO means the iris is shut."

"_Colonel O'Neill come in." crackled Daniel's crushed radio. "Colonel O'Neill, please respond."_

"I thought you said it didn't work." cried Daniel running to the radio.

"It didn't. I didn't think the signal was strong enough to penetrate the rocks."

"It isn't, listen all we're getting is General Hammond all we get from Jack is static."

"_What's the situation? Static …… There's been no communication from the other side?" ………Very well I'll send a MALP through to assess the situation." Static followed and the gate abruptly shut-down._

"He's sending a MALP through." whispered Sam into the darkness that followed. "Thank God." She sighed.

Daniel closed his eyes trying to let the tide of hope completely engulf him.

The chevrons began to light up one by one and the two teammates dove quickly into their tunnel as the last chevron engaged and the gate activated. A few seconds later the MALP trundled through and the radio crackled into life.

"_We're sending the MALP now colonel receiving telemetry."_

"General!" both Daniel and Sam cried together throwing themselves in front of the MALP camera.

"_Doctor Jackson Major Carter, are you okay?"_

"We're fine General; we think we must have tripped a security device." Daniel coughed a little from the up surge of debris

"_Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c have come to the same conclusion; they managed to dig out the DHD. Do you have a GDO? They can dial and you can come back and get checked out."_

"We're both fine sir, we lost the GDO in the cave in, but we were hoping you could send through some digging equipment so we can go around the obstruction and get to Jack and Teal'c."

Hammond knew that even if the two did have the GDO they'd never agree to leave their teammates stranded on the other side of the wall, so he said. "I'll see what I can do, Hammond out."

* * *


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter six

Jack heard the comments made by Hammond and heaved a sigh of relief they were alive and conscious. Now all they had to do was get to them.

"Teal'c," said Jack thoughtfully, "If this was a trap that Carter and Daniel tripped then there's got to be a release switch right?"

"It is possible O'Neill," They separated and began looking around the DHD for hidden buttons or levers.

"Got it!" cried Jack pushing a button on the one of the temple walls. There was a grating noise and machinery began to groan into life.

Daniel shrugged at Sam as the gate disengaged.

"What now?" asked Sam. Sinking down near their pile of MRE's. Daniel eyes the food and his stomach grumbled. "GRR." Sam smiled at him. Daniel blushed. "We should keep our strength up." She said opening one of the packages. They divided a second meal between them and both ate silently.

Daniel swallowed his last bite and took a gulp from his canteen. He paused mid-swallow.

"Did you hear that?" Sam stopped too.

"Hear what?"

"I thought I heard a kind of creaking."

"Creaking?"

"Yeah, like a rusty hinge or something." Just then the entire cave began to shake. Small rocks tumbled from all around them, but the shaking intensified and suddenly huge boulders were falling from the caved-in wall.

"Run!" yelled Daniel and they threw themselves in to their little alcove. Sam went first and Daniel covered her with his body. She struggled beneath him but he just pushed her head down and rested his head on her shoulder.

* * *

Jack looked triumphant when part of the wall slid back and showed a clear tunnel. But that smile vanished when the ground began to shake violently. They each grabbed Sam and Daniel's packs and stood in the cave entrance until it passed.

"Earthquake?" asked Jack.

Teal'c shook his head. "It is more likely that the machinery you've activated is extremely old and caused the rocks to fall."

"And you're telling me this now!" cried Jack.

"I did not consider it until now, but your actions are consistent with why there was so much collateral damage when Major Carter and Daniel Jackson activated the device."

"Well, let's hope we didn't do too much damage on the other side of that wall." Jack grimaced.

* * *

The rocks rained down around them and Daniel grunted occasionally as larger rocks bounced off his back. After a few minutes the rock fall slowed and finally stopped. Daniel rolled off Sam groaning at the pressure on his back.

He looked up squinting in the gloom, a large section of the stalactites above had been loosened and was rocking gently, his impaired vision didn't catch the movement in time but as he and Sam began to stand he heard it drop.

"Sam!" he yelled and shoved her out of the way. The force of the push knocked her to the floor and Daniel lost his balance too falling forward with a surprised yelp. The rocks fell with a crunch and Daniel looked up sharply faintly aware that someone had screamed.

* * *

Hee, hee, EG! Cynic 


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter SEVEN

"Daniel."

The voice sounded far away a faint echo in the distance.

"Daniel." It said again a little more urgently, he felt a hand on his shoulder and pain flashed through his arm and his eyes flicked open. He groaned.

"Daniel?" it was a question now filled with hope and also concern.

"I'm okay." He managed so say through the blinding pain shooting from all points on his body. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"I remember something about rocks," he said, "Things get kind of hazy after that."

"The roof of our tunnel collapsed on top of you."

Daniel tried to sit up, but a bunch of warning bells and sirens went off in his head and he allowed Sam to push him back down.

"So what's the damage?" he asked trying to be conversational.

"When you pushed me out of the way," she began carefully, "a boulder glanced off your shoulder. I'm pretty sure you have a broken clavicle, you twisted your ankle pretty good when you fell and you hit your head, so you probably have a concussion."

"That explains why there are two of you." He smiled wincing.

"I didn't want to move you until you were awake. You need to get back in the alcove, General Hammond will be in contact soon and we need to get out of the way." Daniel sat up again pushing through the waves of dizziness and pain. He allowed Sam to support him and they shuffled into the alcove. "I cleared out some more of the rocks and the ones that fell, I moved the supplies over here too." In the corner was two MRE's the last flashlight, their vests and a single canteen.

"Not much." Daniel croaked and collapsed against the wall.

"We're lucky you were going through the supplies when I tripped the device, otherwise we'd probably bring the entire cave down with our growling stomachs." Daniel gave a short laugh but cringed at the movement. Sam grimaced and knelt down beside him. "I need to brace your shoulder."

"No kidding, but with what?"

"Take you shirt off."

"What?"

"I've just been looking for an excuse ever since we slept together." Sam grinned, and Daniel threw her a look.

"Hey, who was hugging who?"

Sam blushed. "Come on, I'm just dying to see those pecks."

Daniel rolled his eyes and instantly regretted it as the world continued to roll. He took a deep breath. "You'll have to help me." He said and leaned forward and pulled his shirt out from his BDU trousers and Sam helped him pull it off over his injured shoulder, then she began tearing it into strips.

* * *

I would have posted yesterday alas the site would not let me up load my docs. So you'll get one now and if I remember you'll get one later when I get home from work. But only if you're good and eat all your veggies and hit that review button a couple of times :-D Cynic 


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter EIGHT

The light from Jack's flashlight pierced the darkness of the tunnel. After only a few minutes they reached a dead end.

"Damn," said Jack "another cave-in."

"Indeed." They both laid their equipment down and began to dig. They worked quickly in silence, Teal'c taking the larger rocks and O'Neill clearing the path. After a while they'd made a sizable gap and Jack shone his light through the hole.

"Hello, in there." Silence echoed back to them in the gloom. Tealc' removed the last few rocks and they were able to get through. "Hello, anybody in here?" There was a sneeze from the darkness.

"AAAchoo!"

"Daniel?" Jack allowed hope in his voice as he scanned the cavern the light hit the gate and swung back to fall on Daniel looking like her was having a very bad day, he turned his head from the light.

"You know Jack we've been in almost total darkness for more than a day."

"Yeah?"

"The light do you mind?"

"Oh, yeah." Jack flicked the light down and dimmed the beam. "What happened? Hammond said you were both fine."

"There was another cave-in." said Sam as she adjusted the strips of cloth she'd used to brace his left shoulder. "He's got a possibly broken clavicle a twisted ankle, there might be damage to his ribs, there doesn't seem to be any internal bleeding, but he needs to have the shoulder x-rayed and strapped properly and he needs head x-rays and maybe an MRI because he hit his head and might have a fractured skull.

"Sam!" cried Daniel sharply scowling at her he turned to Jack. "I'm fine, what I need is an aspirin and a good night's sleep. Now can we get out of here?" Daniel looked towards the gate as the first chevron glowed. "Get back in the tunnel!" he yelled.

Jack and Teal'c dove back into the tunnel and Sam and Daniel curled up in their alcove. The gate flushed open and the cave was flooded with the dappled light of the event horizon.

"_Colonel O'Neill?_" Hammond's voice crackled through the radio.

"Yes sir," came Jack's voice as he and Teal'c moved into the cave.

"We're going to send some digging equipment through to Dr Jackson and Major Carter. They're going to try to get to you."

"That's great sir, but we already found them, we were able to access a tunnel around the obstruction."

"Are you able to dial out from your position?"

"Yes sir, after a fashion."

"Were you able to recover the shield device?"

"No." said Daniel. "It was damaged too badly in the cave-in. But…" He paused putting his head on his chest and sucking air deeply.

"Sir, we need to get him out of here."

"I'm fine." Daniel said through gritted teeth.

"_Colonel is everything alright?"_

"There was another cave-in sir, Daniel was injured and needs medical attention."

"I'm fine." Daniel grated again.

"Expect us through in a few minutes sir."

"Will do Colonel, Hammond out." The gate shut down and they were once again plunged into darkness.

"Carter Teal'c get Daniel ready to go I'm going to dial us out." Jack flicked his light back on and began back the way he came. After a few minutes the gate activated, Teal'c sent the signal and helped Daniel through to the gate. Sam stayed behind to wait for Jack.

* * *

Because you were so good and I forgot to post last night I'll do a double dip today:D Cynic 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter NINE

"Could I have five minutes please?" griped Daniel shooing away the third nurse to check his vitals in as many minutes.

"You have a fractured clavicle." said Janet holding up his X-ray.

"That's a shock." Daniel struggled for comfort in the shoulder brace that basically strapped his arm to his chest. "How long?"

"A few weeks," she shrugged. "On the bright side, you don't have a concussion and your ankle is only mildly sprained. You'll be walking in no time at all." She smiled mirthlessly knowing her words did little to comfort him.

"How's Sam?"

"Few bumps and bruises you're both dehydrated, but other than that she's fine."

"Good."

"Now, I am going to give you a sedative so you can get some sleep I know how hard it is to stay comfortable in that rig." Daniel grunted something that sounded like thanks and lay back and closed his eyes. Janet sighed and injected the sedative into his IV. Jack ducked his head around the curtain as the world began to swim. "He's fine Colonel." said Janet taking Daniel's pulse. "And assuming he sleeps through the night I'll release him." Jack mumbled something about it being a strong sedative. Janet might have smiled, but Daniel couldn't be sure as the medication forced his eyes shut and he slept.

* * *

There was noise and lights flashing all around him so even before he opened his eyes Daniel was awake. He remembered he was in the infirmary and how he got there, so he kept his eyes closed until he was sure the he couldn't go back to sleep.

Then he opened his eyes to the blur that was the infirmary ceiling without his glasses. His arm throbbed vaguely as he tried to sit up one handed.

"Wow, there Danny!" A hand was on Daniel's chest gently pushing him down; he acquiesced to the pressure only because he suddenly felt so tired.

Daniel looked up at the owner of the arm and he was pretty sure the blur there was Jack. His throat felt really sore so he couldn't ask to confirm it he just put his hand to his throat. The probably Jack-blur returned with a cup of ice chips and his glasses.

The probably Jack-blur became a Jack in sharp focus and Daniel sucked greedily on the ice as he examined his friend. Jack had that look, the look he always wore when Daniel woke from and indeterminable amount of time unconscious it was the 'I've been up for three days worrying about you but I'm so relieved you're alive and not a vegetable I'm saving the lecture until I can really savor it' look.

"What's wrong?" Daniel frowned, "Why are you here?"

"Where else am I going to be Daniel?"

"Would you stop mothering me? I'm fine; Janet said I could leave today."

"Daniel what's the last thing you remember?"

"You and Janet talking about me while she gave me a sedative."

"Daniel that was three days ago."

* * *

You didn't think he was getting off that easy did you? Silly rabbit. :D

Cynic.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter TEN

"Wow," said Daniel a little confused. "That was some sedative." Jack didn't laugh. "So what happened?" he asked soberly.

"You could have told me, if you were feeling depressed. You didn't need to go behind my back."

"Jack, what are you talking about? I'm not depressed."

"Daniel, we found the pills."

"Pills?"

"Here." Jack tossed a bottle down on to the bed.

"Jack these are for my allergies."

"That's what it says on the bottle, but those aren't anti-histamines." Daniel opened the bottled and poured out some of the little yellow pills.

"These look like my pills."

"I thought the ones you took were blue."

"No, my prescription changed." Daniel shrugged and tipped the pills back into the bottle. "Jack what is going on?"

"Damn-it Daniel, you OD'd on anti-depressants, Frasier said you must have been taking them for weeks. What no one can figure out is how you got this passed the mission physicals and blood tests."

"Jack I have no idea what you are talking about! I am not depressed and therefore I have not been taking anti-depressants and even if I were depressed you of all people should know that since my last run-in with the psychiatric professionals at this facility where I was wrongfully committed to mental health- I have been practically phobic about anyone in the mental health field. So could you please tell me what the hell is going on?" Daniel had turned red and little spots were dancing in front of his eyes. "Whoa." He said closing his eyes for a second. Jack put his hand on Daniel's should his concern palpable as he called for help. Alarm bells went off in Daniel's ears as he slipped from consciousness again.

* * *

Jack sat at the conference table tapping his pen on a file as he waited for Hammond, Carter, Teal'c and Janet to arrive. When they'd all finally gotten settled Hammond opened the meeting. 

"Dr Frasier what's Dr Jackson's condition?"

"Stable sir, the last of the drug is out of his system and his shoulder is healing nicely. However, I'm more concerned for his emotional health. The levels of serotonin in his blood stream showed evidence that's he's been taking these drugs for weeks. He's confused and frustrated, he doesn't remember his suicide attempt and he claims the only pills he ever takes are the anti-histamines I prescribe."

"What are you suggesting Doctor?"

"Someone switched Daniel's allergy pills with an anti-depressant."

"What makes you so sure it wasn't just a mistake at the pharmacy?" asked Sam.

"Because Daniel remembers someone told him I changed his prescription, which I haven't done."

"Why would someone want to do this doctor?" asked Hammond.

"I have no idea sir, but the long term effects of a drug like this can be devastating, whoever did this either wanted Dr Jackson declared unfit or…" she paused.

"They wanted him dead sir," said Jack.

"What makes you think that colonel?"

"I did a little checking on my own, anti-depressants can cause a whole bunch of problems if you OD, but this stuff, what's it called?" he gestured to Frasier.

"Tranylcypromine."

"Yeah, that stuff well it's one of the few that list categorically if you OD there's a good chance you'll die."

"But who would want to kill Dr Jackson?"

"You mine besides half the galaxy sir?"

"Okay who on earth would want to kill him?"

"We don't know sir," said Sam. "We're not without suspects it could be The Committee or another rogue NID operation. But to be honest we're just stabbing in the dark here, there's been no recent activity that would point to Daniel being a threat to someone on earth."

"Continue your investigation and keep me updated."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

The room emptied and Jack lingered as Sam gathered her files. It took a moment for her to realize she wasn't alone she looked up surprised.

"Sir?"

"Daniel doesn't know it was a hit, he thinks it was a mistake at the pharmacy."

"Doesn't he wonder how he OD'd?"

"The wrong meds mixed with the stuff Frasier gave him." Jack gave Sam a meaningful look.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Don't you just love it when Jack gets so protective:- P Later, Cynic 


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter ELEVEN

"Dr Jackson, I'm not going to tell you again, you are confined to my care until such time as I see fit to release you, now get back in bed or I will be forced to restrain you!" Janet gave and exasperated sigh as she guided a sullen Daniel Jackson back to his bed.

"But Janet I feel fine."

"And I want to make sure you stay fine until you are fit." She tapped his bed as a gesture to stay.

"That makes no sense." he said leaning against the bed his arm still strapped up across his chest.

"It doesn't have to make sense as long as I'm the one saying it, it's right." Daniel scowled. "Now bed."

"Fine." He said surrendering with poor grace. "Just don't give me another sedative; the last one you gave me put me out for three days." Daniel thought the doctor had gone a little pale at his joke but her professional mask was back in place so fast that he figured he was wrong. Janet got him settled in bed and just as she was about to leave him he called. "Janet?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"Is there a security alert I should know about?"

"Not that I'm aware of, why?"

"The guards, we don't usually guard the infirmary unless there's a visiting dignitary or a possible threat on base."

Damn he'd noticed the guards thought Janet. "It's just a new security measure, don't worry about it."

Daniel sighed his frustration palpable. "Can't Jack or Sam bring me some work to do? I've got at least a dozen translations I could be looking at while I'm just lying here."

"No Daniel, you need to rest."

"But you said I was fine, apart from the drug mix-up what's the problem?"

"That drug mix-up could have killed you Daniel! I want to make sure there are no lasting side effects before I even consider letting you out of my sight!"

"But, Janet!"

"No! Daniel just don't." the edge to her voice quieted the man no amount of reason could "Nurse Johnson is at the desk if you need anything." She said and turned to go as Jack poked his head around the curtain.

"How's it going?" asked Jack.

Daniel wrapped his good arm around himself in his best attempt at his patented self hug, a difficult prospect with one arm strapped to his chest.

"Peachy." his voice was thick with sarcasm.

"Colonel O'Neill could I see you for a moment?" Dr Frasier beckoned Jack out of the enclosure and he followed mystified giving Daniel a puzzled shrug as he left.

"Colonel, you have to tell him what's going on."

"Why worry him? The guy's got enough on his plate right now, without adding the fact that someone tried to kill him."

"Sir, he's getting restless asking questions, he noticed the extra guards. He's not stupid he'll figure it out and do you really want to be there when he realizes we've all been lying to him?"

Jack sighed. "I know Carter read me the riot act this morning too. I've just been looking for the right moment." Janet gave him a look. "Right, I know it's never the right moment for something like this." The Colonel paused.

"Jack, he's fine, he'll have to keep the brace on for a few weeks but a part from that I could have sent him home three days ago." This harsh declaration showed how much Daniel really was getting on her nerves.

"Look why don't I take him home with me?" Janet looked incredulous. "We can say I talked you into it, we'll get some pizza and beers and I'll break it to him gently."

"What about…?" Janet nodded to the guards at the door.

"He's safe as long as he's with me, half the base lives in my neighborhood they'd be crazy to try anything there." Janet still looked doubtful but jack raised his voice and said. "Come on Doc, he's been cooped up here for a week, give him a break." Jack drew back the curtain and they both saw Daniel perk up instantly. Janet sighed in resignation.

"Fine. I will release Dr Jackson into your care Colonel however, there are conditions for most being that he is under orders to rest and that means no stimulants."

"You mean…" Jack grabbed his heart dramatically, "no coffee!" Janet smirked and Daniel smiled in an 'I'm only indulging you because I'm so desperate I'll agree to anything' kind of way.

* * *

Aww poor Daniel gets a coffee ban, what else can go wrong? EG 

Cynic


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter TWELVE

"So I can go?" Daniel was already off the bed and half way to his dresser for clothes.

"Yes, but you are to stay with Colonel O'Neill follow my orders to the letter and if you feel any pain, dizziness, nausea, headache or anything unusual, report to me straight away."

"Yes ma'am." Daniel did a mock salute as he pulled out a pair of jeans from the closet. He looked from the clothes to his one arm to his clothes again.

"Give them here." said Jack.

"I can dress myself." said Daniel.

"No you can't." said Janet. "So either you let the Colonel help or I'll send in Nurse Johnson to assist you."

Daniel blushed beet-red.

"Oh for crying out loud." Jack took the pants from Daniel and stepped forward to help him. Daniel didn't look pleased but he allowed Jack to finish dressing him. Carefully removing the strap and hospital gown and easing a new shirt on. Janet showed Jack how to replace the brace and gave him instructions for bathing and other bodily functions.

"Can I go now?" asked Daniel finally dressed and carrying a list of doctors orders. Janet nodded giving Jack a stern look.

Jack gestured to the door, "Pizza and movie?"

Daniel smiled, "Sounds good."

They made their way out of the mountain through all the check points and finally were on the road to Jack's house.

"Jack?"

"Daniel?"

"Can we go somewhere and take a walk? Like a park or something?"

"Why?" Jack didn't want to take his friend out into the open if he didn't have to.

"I've been stuck underground for the best part of two weeks and I want to get some fresh air."

"We can eat on the back porch, but I'm not wandering around some park with you sneezing your head off."

"Janet put me back on my regular allergy meds."

"Daniel I'm not in the mood to argue with you, so you can choose either fresh from the yard at my house or fresh air pumped through the ventilation shaft in the infirmary." Daniel shot him a look of reproach and did his half-self hug and slumped in his seat. "Good." said Jack and switched on the radio. They rode in silence for a few minutes.

"Are we going to get a movie?" asked Daniel in his own version of a peace offering.

"Yeah." said Jack and pointed out the movie store a head of them. "What's your fancy?"

"Anything as long as it's not Indiana Jones or any kind of shoot 'em up."

"Damn you just hit my top two." Jack smiled.

"You only like Indiana Jones because his version of archeology annoys the hell out of me and you know it."

Jack grinned. "You wait here I've got something on hold anyway." Jack parked and hopped out of the truck. "Feel free to roll down a window and get some air." He called as he walked into the store.

Jack talked to the clerk fof a few minutes and paid for his movie. He got as far as the door before being thrown back by the force of a massive explosion in the parking lot. The blast smashed all the windows in the front of the store. After a second to get his bearings Jack got up and rushed out the door his feet crunching on the broken glass and twisted metal ofthe store front. When he saw that it was his own truck that had exploded a large stone forced it's way down Jack throat and settled in his stomach.

A fire still burned inside and the flames licked up around the roof. Jack didn't think about anything as he came out of the store and saw the mess he just ran to his truck calling Daniel's name. He tried to see if Daniel was still inside but the fire was so hot he couldn't get close, the heat forced him back, back from the truck and back in time to another fire on another planet.

_"Jack! Help me!" But he couldn't he hadn't and Jack had stood on the ramp in the gate room his uniform sopping wet and all he could say was; "Daniel's dead, sir."_

"Oh my god! Call 911, does anyone know who's car that was?" a stranger was talking to him, but all Jack could do was stare at the wreckage.

* * *

Call me evil, I know I am, but building to that climax is so satifying isn't it? Or is it just me? EG 

Cynic


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter THIRTEEN

Jack was frozen he couldn't move all he could do was stare the destruction. Then he heard sirens and turned to see where they came from. It was then he noticed the pile of rags thrown out to the grass verge. The blue cloth looked like the shirt Daniel had been wearing, Jack advanced on the pile and then broke into a run; the rags were shivering! Jack knelt down on the grass verge.

"Daniel?" he whispered he put his hand on his friend's shoulder and turned him on his back. Daniel's face was scorched and black with soot. He was conscious, but shaking with shock. Jack helped him sit up and wrapped his arms around him mostly to comfort Daniel, but partly to reassure himself his friend was still alive. "God, Daniel." Jack said into his shoulder. "I thought you were in the truck. It was Nem's vision all over again."

"I wanted to get some air." Daniel's voice shook as he spoke.

"How'd you like it?"

"Well I wasn't expecting it to be twenty feet of air between me and the ground! But all things considered it was better than staying in the truck." The shaking lessened slightly and Jack loosened his grip he pulled out to face Daniel and cupped his cheek with his hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I don't think I broke anything; I've got a ringing in my ears."

Jack nodded and stood up. "That'll pass; do you think you can stand?" Daniel put up his hand in answer and Jack helped him up.

"Whoa." said Daniel his hand on Jack's shoulder for balance.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, just a head rush."

"Sure?"

"I'm fine."

"Right." said Jack not entirely convinced.

Jack pulled out a cell phone and hit speed dial.

"Who are you calling?"

"The base."

"Why?" Jack cut him off with a raised finger.

"Hello sir? Yeah, O'Neill, we've got a situation, a car bomb sir…yes sir, I know…we need a team here to secure the area and a car to pick-up Daniel and I to go back to the base. No sir, he's fine got the wind knocked out of him, that's all. I'll get Frasier to give him the once over to be sure. Twenty minutes? Yes sir, I'll keep the locals at the bay until then." Jack hung up and Daniel look at him expectantly. "What?"

"This doesn't seem like all that much of a shock to you."

"Yeah, sure Daniel, I expect my friends to get blown up while I'm in the video store." Jack snapped without thinking

Daniel ducked his head and wrapped his arm over his chest. Jack could have kicked himself.

"Daniel I'm sorry you're going to have to trust me for a minute. I need to sort some stuff out with the cops first. Then I'll explain everything."

"Promise?"

"Scout's honor."

* * *

By a show of hands who thinks Jack was a boy scout? Nah, me neither. 

Don't forget to stop at the concession stand in the lobby they have some lovely snacks made by the students! Cynic


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter FOURTEEN

Daniel sat on the curb his head in his hands. Jack handed the cops over to investigators from the base and went and sat next to Daniel. He rubbed a hand across his back to rouse him from his stupor.

"Daniel." Daniel sighed and looked up. His blue eyes stood out on his scorched face. "Let's go the car's waiting." Daniel nodded and stood with some difficulty. Jack guided him to the car and got into the front seat. "Lie down try to sleep. It's going to take us a while to get around all this traffic. Daniel allowed himself to lean back and closed his eyes.

"Daniel, Daniel come on we're here." Daniel could hear Jack calling him from some where in the distance, but try as he might he just couldn't summon the energy to answer him. "Go get Frasier." He heard Jack call to their driver.

Daniel stirred. "No, I'm fine." He opened his eyes and tried to sit up. Jack pushed him back down.

"Stay still until Janet can check you over."

* * *

Daniel blinked slowly trying to gather his thoughts; he was back in the infirmary he knew that instantly, perhaps he had dreamt the explosion? But no, cool salve being applied to his face and hands told him it was all too real.

"How is he?" whispered Jack looking over at Daniel being treated by a nurse. "He looks kind of out of it."

"He's still in shock." said Janet glancing up. "He was very lucky. He's got 1st degree burns on his face and hands, a few cuts and bruises but that's it. If he hadn't landed on that grass verge it'd probably be a lot worse." Jack looked back towards Daniel and saw that Sam was there now. She was talking animatedly and Daniel was smiling broadly.

"…So we figured that the inverted symbol changed the equation from a simple linear progression to a discussion on the unified field theory! My professor was so stunned he gave me extra credit for best accidental proof!"

Daniel laughed. "That's like me and the Stargate. I didn't come here to prove my theories of cross cultural pollination I came because I'd just got evicted and had just gotten done lecturing to an increasingly empty room."

Sam chuckled and Jack poked his head around the curtain. Daniel's face immediately fell as he saw Jack. Sam looked around.

"Sir." She said and gave Daniel a small hug. "It'll be alright." She said and left.

"Jack what's going on?" Jack sighed and pulled a chair close to the bed.

"Someone is trying to kill you." said Jack very quickly and held his breath for Daniel's reaction.

"I figure that part out mid-air Jack, but who and why?"

"We don't know, this is the second try but…"

"Second?" Daniel paused. "The OD!"

"Yeah, they switched your allergy pills with anti-depressants and then missed a bunch in with lunch on Tuesday."

"I don't remember lunch on Tuesday, hell, I don't remember Tuesday at all!" Daniel squinted as if trying to force the memory forward, but only succeeded in creating black dots to dance in front of his vision. "But who wants to kill me?"

"You mean besides half the galaxy?"

"Yeah, the goa'uld are gonna make me OD and blow up your truck." Jack was silent. "Unless it was the NID, the Commitee, or Maybourne's people God, when did I become someone so hated?" Jack sat on the edge of the bed.

"When you opened that gate you opened up the galaxy to us. There are some amazing things out there and everyone who's seen them have you to thank for the opportunity."

"They also have me to thank for opening up our world to attack from a vastly evil and technologically advanced race of aliens."

"You're freeing people from slavery."

"If everything I've done is so good, then why is someone trying to kill me?"

"You of all people know, shit happens, Daniel. You know the goa'uld aren't the only source of evil in this universe."

"Yeah, I know it's just…"

"Just nothing, Daniel let's just concentrate on keeping you alive we can debate the meta-physics of the universe another day."

Daniel nodded, but he was still wrapped in his half-self-hug.

* * *

Aaand cut! That's a wrap for the day ladies and especially gentlemen we'll pick it up again tommorrow. Thank you all and don't forget to leave some of those cookies for the crew. 

:-P Cynic


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"What's the situation?" General Hammond looked at Sam, and Teal'c sat at the briefing room table.

"We've ruled out any NID involvement, sir. After the last few rogue cells were rounded up the rest of the agents have gone to ground. None of them have any real interest in Daniel."

"What about The Commitee?"

"That's a little more difficult, sir, from what we know they're primarily an organization out to gain profit and power from the Stargate program they gain little if anything from Daniel's death."

"But he would be a valuable resource to them if her was discredited and asked to resign."

"But that doesn't explain the car bomb. If they wanted to recruit him why try to kill him?"

"They didn't." Colonel O'Neill came to the door of the briefing room.

"Colonel, you have some information you'd like to share with us?"

"I just got a preliminary report back from the bomb squad." Jack took his seat at the table.

"Yes?"

"The bomb was triggered by remote, which means whoever set it off knew Daniel wasn't in the truck."

"But what does that do for Dr Jackson?" asked Hammond.

"Whoever it was wanted to hurt him not do any serious damage."

"What's Dr Jackson's condition now?"

"He got scorched, a few cuts and bruises though thankfully he didn't damage his shoulder further he's going to be strapped up for about a month." said Sam.

"Janet said he could leave the infirmary tomorrow, but all things considered I think he should be confined to the base." said Jack.

"Agreed." said Hammond. "I'll have a guard posted for his protection. Let's get to the bottom of this people; dismissed."

"Sir," said Jack. "As much as I'm sure Daniel would love having an SF trailing him everywhere why doesn't SG-1 take security detail of Daniel?"

"Very well, Colonel, SG-1 is on stand-down until this situation is resolved."

* * *

Because you've all been such good little boys and girls, and I've been neglecting you, I'm giving you a special treat. That's right kiddies, a double post:D 


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

Three Weeks Later…

"Daniel?"

"In a minute."

"No, now!"

"Jack, why do we have to go through this everyday?"

"Because I said so." Jack flipped the switch and the room was flooded with light. "Now get up!"

Daniel groaned and rolled into a sitting position, laying his feet carefully on the floor, in order to avoid the myriad of books stacked there. Jack sighed at the mess but declined to comment again on the clutter.

"Because is not a real reason." said Daniel giving Jack a squinting glare.

"No but we've been doing this every morning for three weeks, I thought you'd have your body clock adjusted by now."

"My body clock broke when I was in college, too many nights surviving on coffee and adrenaline."

"Figures, some things never change. Come on, get dressed time for your weekly infirmary check-up." Daniel heaved himself off the bed and towards the closet.

"Don't know why I bother getting dressed for these things, they make me get undressed as soon as I get there anyway."

"You have to do the gown thing just for them to check your shoulder?" Jack frowned.

"Yeah, something about getting basic stats, every time I'm examined. My medical file is going to need its own drawer at this rate!"

Jack didn't laugh. "Do you need help getting your shirt on?"

"No, my shoulder feels fine, and I've been sleeping without the brace on for a few days now. I hope Janet says I'm fit today, I want to get off base, I'm so bored and I need some air." He snorted. "I'm beginning to think I've forgotten what the sky looks like!"

"Oh, sky nothing special big blue thing seen it once…" Jack shrugged.

"Besides I know you're itching to get back out there. I think this is the first time since I've known you you've been up to date with all your paper work!'

"I have been at a lose end."

"Except for your shifts with me, I bet you're really bored."

"What are you getting at Daniel?"

"I want you to get SG-1 a mission. Even if Frasier doesn't declare me fit, it's no reason for you guys not to got out and have fun."

"Fun?"

"Jack, I know you've been worried about me, but it's been three weeks and nothing has happened. I'll stay on base if that'll make you happy, but I know if you don't get some action soon your head is going to explode." Daniel sank his feet into his boots without bothering to lace them. He went to stand up but Jack stopped him and bent down to tie the shoes. He didn't say anything until he was done.

"If Janet says you're okay I'll ask Hammond for a mission." Daniel flashed a smile and they left for the infirmary.

* * *

Okay, so it's not all cliff-hangers and suspense, but now they're going on a mission...

Cynic


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen

"So Doc, what's the verdict?" Jack asked as he saw Janet coming out with an X-ray in her hand.

"I'm just going to tell him." Janet smiled and beckoned him to follow.

Nurse Johnson was fussing around with a blood pressure cuff while Daniel tried his best to break her concentration.

"Dr Jackson." She warned playfully, having to readjust the cuff a third time.

"Shelly, how many times have I asked you to call me Daniel?"

"Fine!" she glared at him, "Daniel, knock it off!" she gave the cuff a harsh pump and he shot her a look of mock annoyance.

"So," said Daniel, looking down at the gauge. "Am I going to live?" he looked up his blue eyes twinkling in amusement as she took her time to consider the question.

"Probably." she said grimly then smiled. "This time." He laughed and she released him from the cuff.

Jack and Janet came around the curtain as Daniel slid his shirt back on. Shelly, hurried off to check on other patients.

"So what's the verdict?" he asked Janet and gave Jack a hopeful look. Janet pulled out the latest X-ray.

"You films look good. The shoulder has completely healed, though the muscles are going to be sore from disuse, I'll recommend some light physio, but I don't see why I can't declare you fit for duty now."

"Yes!" said Daniel a huge smile on his face. The he gave Jack meaningful look.

"Fine." He said raising his hands in surrender. "Let's go." Janet left for her office and Jack and Daniel went to leave. Daniel stopped and looked around the room.

"What?" asked Jack, "Did you forget something?"

"Gimme a second." Said Daniel and went striding across the room to where Nurse Johnson was folding sheets. "Shelly," he said quietly touching her shoulder. She whirled around hand pressed to her heart.

"Dr Jackson!" she swallowed. "Daniel, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry," he flushed. "I didn't mean to scare you I wanted to tell you; I've been declared fit for duty and I want to thank you for being so nice to me and taking care of me in these last few months." He began to fumble with something in his pocket; it was piece of red paper. "I haven't been able to leave or I might have gotten you real flowers." He held up the paper and she saw it was an origami rose.

"Thank you." She said her face glowing as she took the flower from him.

"I hope next time we see each other I won't be here officially." He said with a grin and walked back over to a dumb-founded Jack who was stood staring them.

* * *

From Daniel's mouth to my ears, will he get his wish? Yeah, right. 

Cynic


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"Look General, I know everyone is worried about me, but I'm fine, even Janet said I'm fine. Nothing's happened for three weeks I think we need to get things back to normal. Whoever's after me for whatever reason isn't going to do anything while I'm under lockdown and besides the usual dangers of going off-world at least out there I won't have to be so worried about someone I might know going out of their way to kill me. The goa'uld generally don't kill you unless you present yourself as a target." Daniel paused.

"I agree." said Hammond

"Yes, I know but…" Daniel stopped. "You what?"

"I agree with your assessment of the situation Dr Jackson, in fact I have a mission for SG-1."

"Oh…Oh that's great!" Daniel grinned.

* * *

The mission was simple go secure a trade agreement with the inhabitants of P2X-6911 they were sitting on a Naquada mine bigger than the one the Unas were mining for them.

Simple. Right.

SG-3 had reported that although the inhabitants spoke English they had very a specific ritual of communication. Jack went right up to their leader and waved while greeting him with a huge smile.

* * *

Later, in the holding cell… 

"All I did was smile at him!" cried Jack.

"That particular gesture, the wave and the smile, is considered a sexual come on." said Daniel almost laughing when, Jack paled and his jaw dropped. "I warned you that these people have a complex physical language."

"So what's the penance?" asked Jack.

"We have to climb that and bring back a totem from the temple at the top." Daniel pointed up at a huge mountain in the distance, the peak disppeared into the clouds high above.

* * *

A quick snippet for you, we'll be moving swiftly on from here on out. Cynic 


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

About half-way up the mountain Daniel paused on a ledge to catch his breath.

"I begged to come on this mission?" he gasped to himself half laughing.

"Come on." said Jack nudging him. "You know you love this." Sam and Teal'c were already at the next ledge, looking down at them expectantly. Daniel dragged himself up.

"At least my shoulder doesn't hurt." He said twisting the joint and winced. "Well, at least it doesn't hurt worse than anything else."

"That's the spirit!" said Jack and prepared the line for Daniel to continue the climb.

They reached the summit at nightfall and Jack ordered them to make camp. In the morning Daniel retrieved the totem and they began the descent.

Around midday a storm blew up a harsh wind that buffeted the team against the rocks. With nowhere to stop they continued at a slowed pace.

The way down was a reverse of the way up, Jack first then Daniel, Sam and Teal'c. Jack shored up the foot and hand holds while Teal'c was the anchor on top. They were about half-way down when the weather turned nasty and it began to hail. Jack ordered Sam and Teal'c to stay on the ledge above and try to shelter themselves, Daniel was already half-way between the two and Jack was only a few feet from a decent ledge. Jack made it to the ledge, but Daniel was frozen to the cliff, unable to move for fear of being blown off the mountain.

"Daniel!" Jack called out holding his arms up to see where his friend was stuck. The wind was strong, and he had to plaster himself against the back of the ledge to avoid being blown off himself.

Daniel had always wondered about the phrase, 'held on for dear life' and then he was stuck on a cliff with no way up or down. So with a lack of better ideas he held on, digging his already frozen fingers in to the hard rocks, thankful that he'd at least got stuck on a small ledge and not the little chips they'd been using as steps to get down. Sure the ledge was only about six inches deeps, but small favors and all that.

Daniel considered his options, one, hold on until the weather calmed enough to climb down, or two let go and fall. Yes, he was tethered, but he was tetherd to Sam and then Teal'c and without fair warning they had no way to brace for his fall and not even Teal'c could hold both him and Sam if he fell and pulled her down with him, especially not in this weather. So hold on was his only other option, the only problem was his shoulder was really starting to ache. The exercise had been good to start with, but as the climb went on it had really begun to wear and ache. Regardless, Daniel would hold on, he was sick and tired of always being the one to end up in the infirmary, the one who everyone had to watch out for. He was suddenly filled with a flash of anger and determination not to be the object of pity once more.

His back was being buffeted by the hailstones, his fingers had gone numb from the cold and the sheer pressure he had to exert to maintain his grip. It could have been minutes or hours or even days for all he knew but he just closed his eyes and pressed himself to the cliff and knew with certainty that he would hold on for as long as it took.

* * *

So, You guys want him to fall or hang on?

Just kidding, I already know what's going to happen:D

Cynic


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"Daniel." The voice was low and close-by. But how could that be? He was alone. Had been alone here for as long as he could remember, he had to hold on against the storm. Yet, he could not hear the storm anymore, there was a quiet now, the quiet and the warm coaxing voice. Then there was warmth spreading across his frozen shoulders, an arm held him and suddenly he knew that voice! Daniel opened his eyes, he'd forgotten they were closed, and saw Sam stood next to him on the ledge. Though his glasses were smudged with the rain and muck he could still make out her blonde head and the voice became familiar to him.

"Daniel, you can let go now." Sam said softly relieved that her friend was now responding.

Daniel blinked hard feeling and awareness returning slowly to his extremities.

"Teal'c is going to lower you down to the Colonel, Okay?"

Daniel nodded he didn't yet have the wherewithal to speak, but he did understand what she was saying.

"All you have to do is let go." She said.

This took a moment, to process; let go? Wasn't that exactly what he'd been trying desperately not to do for as long as he could remember? The single thought that was ping-pong-ing around his head repeating like a mantra- 'don't let go, don't let go, don't let go'.

But this was Sam, Sam whom he loved and trusted, Sam was telling him to let go. He felt her warm arm around him softly stroking his frozen shoulders. Daniel pried one hand from the cliff face and slowly freed the other. Sam held him steady against the wall and then yelled to Teal'c somewhere above them.

"Teal'c! Take the slack." Daniel felt the rope on his harness tighten. "Okay, Daniel just step down off the ledge and Teal'c will lower you down." Sam took her hand off his back and he instantly missed the warmth of it, but those thoughts were over-ridden by the realization that without either Sam's or his won holding him he was falling backwards! But after a few degrees the rope caught and he did as Sam said and stepped off the ledge he felt himself lowering slowly.

Daniel's legs gave way as they touched solid ground he crumpled into a heap as Jack disconnected the lines around him and unclipped the pack from his back. The weight gone Daniel sighed in relief and rolled on to his back. Jack hastily dragged his friend into the small alcove in the side of the mountain.

Daniel began to shake and shiver violently, the ice of his body had begun to melt and every part of him was screaming out at the cold and stiffness that he could now feel in its entirety. He curled into a ball in a vain attempt to get warm. Sam and Teal'c dropped on to the edge and ducked inside the cave as Jack was trying to check Daniel's vitals.

"Teal'c will you hold him still for me?" asked Jack. "I need to check him over."

Teal'c nodded and proceeded to roll over the struggling man and hold him on his back. Sam knelt down next to him rubbing Daniel's hands and chest for warmth and comfort.

"Damn," said Jack, "he's so cold."

"He's hypothermic and he's going into shock."

"Ya think?" snapped Jack and instantly regretted it. "Let's just get him out of these wet clothes and wrapped in a couple of thermal blankets."

Sam nodded and began to unsnap Daniel's vest. "Teal'c, keep him steady." She said.

The Jaffa, nodded and moved Daniel's rigid limbs to help them undress him. Jack went for the boots and yanked each one off with great difficulty.

* * *

Jack glanced back at his teammate as the sun went down, Daniel was wrapped up head to toe in Mylar blankets and each of his teammates jackets draped over the top. 

"I still can't believe he held on all night." He said as he drained his cup and reached for the pot on steno stove they'd set between them at the mouth of the cave.

"Daniel Jackson has great strength in mind and body." said Teal'c, "Though I too was pleasantly surprised he survived such a test of that strength."

Jack looked up at Sam who was staring intently into the light from the stove.

"Sam?" she looked up a little startled.

"What?"

Jack gestured to Daniel.

"Oh, well I think that if there was any way for anyone to stay in that position all night it was Daniel."

"What makes you say that?"

"Teal'c and I had a good ledge, but there was no room to re-maneuver the ropes. I was tethered to Daniel and to Teal'c, if Daniel fell I'd have been yanked off and Teal'c would have had to have held us both in mid-air. Now I do not doubt your skills Teal'c, but that was a hell of a storm and in all probability, if Daniel had fallen, we would all have gone over."

"So Daniel didn't hold on to save his own life, he did it to save our lives?" Jack considered this for a second and realized that it was true. Had Daniel been alone he might have given in, but because someone else's life was on the line he stuck it out under the worst possible conditions.

"He saved us, sir." said Sam

* * *

Okay, so he didn't fall...yet. :-D 

Cynic


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one

"Well, you're temperature is almost back to normal." said Jack peeling back the stick on thermometer. 

"I'm still cold." said Daniel warming his hands at the stove.

"Yeah, it'll take awhile to shake the chill." Jack grabbed Daniel hands to examine them. "Your fingers are still blue." He said surprised. Then tried to rub some warm them with his own hands.

"That's 'cos they're bruised." said Daniel trying to yank his sore digits from Jack's grasp.

Jack looked down at the archeologist's hands they were scabbing over at the nail and full of blisters, bruised blue from the sheer effort of holding onto the cliff. Sam came and knelt down by the fire warming her own hands. She smiled at Daniel relieved that he was awake and lucid.

"We're almost finished sir, Teal'c's just checking the tension on the lines."

"Good." said Jack handing her a cup. She sipped the warm liquid gratefully.

"What are you doing?" asked Daniel carefully taking a cup from Jack.

"We're rigging up a stretcher to get you down the rest of the way."

Daniel's face fell. "A stretcher?"

"How else do you propose we get you down the mountain?"

"I don't know Jack, climb?"

"Daniel you can barely grip that cup, let alone the mountain! Besides your hands your shoulder is inflamed you can't even lift your arms up."

Daniel rolled his shoulders, but couldn't hide the wince. Jack in turn couldn't hide the 'I told you so' glance, but Daniel threw him a look of reproach in turn.

"I'll go check on Teal'c." said Jack hurriedly escaping the wrath of Daniel.

"It's the only way you know." said Sam sitting down next to him.

Daniel sighed. "I know."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not 'nothing', tell me."

"You'll think I'm incredibly self-centered."

"That's nothing new." She smiled and nudged him slightly. Daniel smiled too, but got quiet staring into his cup.

"It's just that it feels like I'm always the one to come down the mountain on a stretcher."

"Daniel this wasn't your fault."

"I know that, but sometimes I think you guys would be better off if I wasn't on the team. I know what people say about me being cursed and maybe to some extent they're right."

Sam thumped him on the arm.

"OW! What was that for!" he glared at her rubbing his arm.

"That was for being and idiot!" said Sam. "How can you think we don't need you? Without you we'd probably sitting in a cell at the village right now. Hell I doubt we'd have figured out what we'd done wrong as quickly as you did!"

"Without me, you wouldn't have been half way up a mountain during a freak hail storm."

"No, we might be dead at the bottom of the mountain instead."

"What are you talking about?"

"Daniel you saved us last night. No," she held up her hand to silence his protest, "you can't be held responsible for the weather. But you are responsible for what you did when it turned bad. You held on Daniel, you knew there was no way to move without being blown off so you held on knowing that if you let go we'd go with you. The fact that you survived is amazing I don't know anyone who could have held on that long, they would have given up or lost consciousness. But not you, you held on against the hail and the cold and the wind. That shows a level of strength and determination that makes the toughest marine look like a pansy. You earn respect for what you've survived not ridicule."

They were silent for a moment drink in the peace of the night.

"I understand what you're saying, Sam but in situations like this for me there is no choice, there's only survival. I knew I'd hurt you if I fell and you might be forced to cut my line, but I didn't want to put you in that position, because I might have ended up taking you all down with me."

"Daniel first off, we would never have cut your line."

"I was still attached to Jack, I'd have fell a bit further, but he might have be able to tie the line off on the ledge he was on, but I had no way to communicate that to you so I stayed put."

"Of course you did! I knew you'd try your best but I wouldn't have thought less of you if you had fallen."

"Even if you were dead?"

"Even if. You know, I never did thank you."

"Thank me?"

"For saving my life on P2X-1435, if you hadn't pushed me out of the way of that rock fall I'd be dead."

"Actually, I was just running out from under it, I tripped and fell into you!"

"Daniel!" Sam laughed and shoved him.

"Careful," he cried holding up his hands. "Wounded man here!"

"Yeah, right, you're probably just faking to get a free ride down the mountain."

Daniel laughed. "Guilty as charged."

* * *

There are so few Daniel/Sam friendship moments, I thought this was a good moment to add my own. Before we continue with Daniel's ordeal.EG 

Cynic


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty -Two

Daniel squinted in the light from the early morning sun. Jack and Teal'c were finishing his stretcher and Sam was breaking camp.

"Your chariot awaits." said Jack. He held up what looked like a brown sack.

"That is not a chariot." said Daniel, as he leaned against the mouth of the cave. "Nor is it a stretcher."

"It's a sling." said Jack as he demonstrated the contraption. It was a folded blanket attached to Teal'c staff. "Carter will go down first Teal'c and I will lower you down and then follow. We'll do it ledge by ledge until we hit the bottom."

Daniel sighed; this was not going to be fun.

* * *

Later...

Sam helped Daniel out of the sling. "Do you think you can climb down the rest of the way?" Daniel looked over the edge; it was a straight twenty foot drop to the ground.

"No more ledges, huh?" said Daniel kicking a few pebbles over the side.

"No and it could be dangerous to lower you down that far, it'll test the limits of our rope as it is."

"I can do it." said Daniel. "It's a pretty straight drop and it's not that far, if you go first and anchor I can just repel straight down."

Sam smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

"You two going to stand there all day yapping?" said Jack descending on to the ledge, with Teal'c at his heels.

"Daniel's going to repel the last leg." said Sam as she prepared the ropes for them both.

Jack looked concerned. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

Daniel sighed. "Yes, Jack I'm fine. I'm still a little sore, but I can deal with it for a 30 second drop."

Jack nodded and the prepared for Sam to go first.

Daniel uncoiled the rope from his pack; they'd been using a combination of the other three since his had been soaked and harder to tie. It was still damp as he threaded it through his harness, but not so much it made a difference. He threw the lead down to Sam who took up the slack. Jack anchored him on top and Daniel began to walk slowly off the cliff. He was tempted to simply bounce down, as Sam had done, but thought better of it in deference to his screaming hands.

He was barely over the edge when he heard Jack's voice calling out to him. "Daniel, you okay?"

"I'm fine." he called tugging on the rope a little.

"Just take it easy will you." Jack called, a little testy.

Daniel was just about to retort when the rope came loose in his hands. 'That can't be good.' he thought as his stomach dropped and so did he.

"Daniel!" Sam screamed already running to where he'd fallen.

Daniel landed with an 'umph' eyes wide and staring up in surprise.

"Daniel!" Sam called to him. Her steps vibrated the earth around him. She checked his pulse and put her ear down to listen for breathing. Daniel forced his empty lungs to fill and took a huge rasping breath. "Daniel?" Relief mixed with fear and large eyes filled with tears hovered above him.

His mouth moved and instead of comforting words all he managed was a coughing fit. He tried to lean up, but Sam stopped him her hand gently pushed him back down.

"I'm fine." he rasped and blinked hard to restart all the neurons stalled in shock.

Jack hit the ground running with Teal'c shortly behind.

"What the hell happen?" he cried as he slid down next to Daniel also stopping him from sitting up.

"Jack I'm fine." he groused and pushed his friends away with a groan. "I think I'm going to need a chiropractor." he winced as his fingers moved up his spine making sure that each vertebra was still intact and in place.

"What happen?" Jack asked scowling at Daniel, but his tone had gentled.

Daniel was still a little dazed and so he looked down at his harness blinking his thoughts back into action again. "The rope broke." he said his hands picked at the frayed rope.

Jack took it and handed it to Sam who nodded.

"Let's get you home." he said and he and Teal'c heaved Daniel to his feet.

* * *

Ta-da! Okay, so it was only a little fall, but I promised he'd fall, but not how far, and I didn't say he only had to fall once did I? Hmmm...:P

Cynic


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

Daniel was in heaven. Nurse Shelly Johnson worked out the kinks in his back like a pro and for the first time since learning he was stuck in the infirmary over-night, he smiled and sighed contented.

He thanked, Providence and any other 'real' deity that might exist, that he'd not broken any more bones and for the healing hands of Shelly as she rubbed away the tension in his sore muscles. He smiled; Jack had ducked in earlier and ducked out quickly when he saw Daniel's blue bruised back and Shelly holding a bottle of baby oil. Daniel had laughed himself silly and told Shelly to expect to hear rumors of their torrid affair on the base grape vine.

"No one is going to think that Dr Jackson." she flushed, then applied just the right amount of pressure to his lower back."

"Oh-that's great- people have based entire relationships on less than what Jack just saw." He turned to look at her. "And I told you to call me Daniel-umph!" The 'umph' was Shelly as she pushed his head down and began to work on his neck.

* * *

"Did you sleep well Daniel?" Daniel yawned loudly with a huge contented smile on his face. 

"Best sleep I've had the infirmary, baring comas."

Shelly grinned.

"I don't know what you did to me, but my shoulders and my back feel so much better."

"I'm glad I could help." she flushed. "Dr Frasier asked me to check the dressing on your hands. She'll be by in a while to you and release you."

"Great!" Daniel grinned. "Not that I don't love your company, Shelly, but the less time I spend here the better."

"I understand." she smiled at him and wheeled over a tray cover in bandages. "I'm going to clean and irrigate the wounds and change the dressing, okay?"

"Fine by me." said Daniel laying his hands out on the table.

Sam twitched her head around the curtain. "Oh, you're busy." she said flustered. "I'll come back." she turned to go, but Daniel called her back.

"Sam come back." she appeared at the curtain. "It's okay, I'm just getting re-wrapped." he grinned and Sam came in and hopped up on the bed next to Daniel.

"So, how's it going?"

"I'm fine, Shelly gave me a deep tissue massage and thanks in part to Janet's painkillers and muscle relaxants my bruises have been toned down to a dull throb."

"So are you getting out of here?"

"As soon as Janet releases me, why?"

"Oh, nothing, we've got a briefing this afternoon. I wanted to know if you were up to it."

"I'll come, but I won't be able to go on a mission until my hands heal."

"It's not a mission, it's just informational."

"Oh, okay. As soon as Janet gives me my walking papers, I'll come by. What time is it?"

"Around two, or whenever you're ready."

"All done here, Daniel." said Shelly, "You'll have to take it easy for a few days until the blisters dry up."

"Will do." said Daniel as he examined the freshly bound hands.

"I'll go tell Dr Frasier you're ready to be checked out."

"Thanks, Shelly." She smiled and took the tray as she left.

"So…" said Sam with a grin on her face.

"What?"

"What's going on with you two?"

"What two?"

"You and Nurse Johnson."

"Me and Shelly?"

"Yeah, you and Shelly." said Sam with a smile.

"Wow, that's the fast! I never knew Jack was such a gossip!"

"Jack?" Sam frowned. "Siler told me last week about you and Johnson."

"About me and Johnson?"

"Yeah, how she's always twittering about every time you were in here."

"Which has been a lot lately."

"Exactly."

"But nothing is going on with me and Shelly. She's a great woman and a fantastic nurse, but we're just friends."

The curtain twitched a second later and Janet walked in.

"Okay, Daniel we got your scans back and as we assumed there are no broken bones and by some miracle you haven't seriously strained or torn anything either."

"Great, so I can go?" Daniel hopped off the bed, his hands up to prevent from knocking them.

"Not so fast." said Janet, "I need to do a basic physical to make sure everything else is okay. Sam do you mind?"

"Not at all." Sam grinned at the look Daniel threw her. "I'm leaving! Daniel, lunch."

"Fine, I'll meet you there." Sam backed out of the curtained area and almost fell over Nurse Johnson.

"I'm so sorry Major." she gushed, turning bright red.

"It's okay, Lieutenant." Sam smiled at her and left.

* * *

Okay, the polls are open will Daniel: A) fall down a flight of stairs, B) Be poisoned? C) Die? or D) All of the above plus an extra surprise:-D 

The answer and more coming up in Hurt/Comfort!

Cynic


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty- Four

Daniel arrived in the commissary and saw Sam sitting alone. She was engrossed in a file and absently picking at her meal. Daniel grabbed a plate, threw a muffin and a sandwich on it and went to join her.

"Hey, Sam." She jumped at his greeting.

"Jesus, Daniel! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry." Daniel grinned and sat down opposite her. "That looks good." he said eying Sam's baked potato.

"It is." she said and then glanced down at Daniel's plate. "Why don't you get some? The food's actually edible today."

"I can't." said Daniel waving his bound hands. "Janet said any kind of concerted pressure on the blisters would be bad. That means no knives or forks, no pens, Dictaphones, or anything requiring precise pressure of digits."

"I'm sure she didn't mean for you to live off sandwiches and muffins for the rest of the week."

"I was going to get some soup but it's the ladle kind not the squirt in a cup kind."

"That's it." said Sam, "this is too pathetic for words." She stood up and went to the food line. She filled a plate with a baked potato with all the trimmings and dolled out a large bowl of soup. "Here." she said and slid the tray between them on the table.

"What is this, some kind of ritual torture?" Sam cut up the potato added cheese and butter and salt. Then she took some up on to the fork and much to his surprise, pushed it into Daniel's mouth.

"I can't believe you just did that!"

"What?" said Sam totally nonplussed and charging up the fork again. "You want some more?" Daniel gave her a look. "It's not like I haven't fed you before Daniel."

"That was different, and you know it. I was laid up and in the infirmary and couldn't feed myself."

"Now you just got out of the infirmary and still can't feed yourself. You want more or are you going to stick with the shriveled sandwich and muffin option?" Daniel pouted and then opened his mouth to accept more food. "Good boy."

It took them a while, but they made it through the potato and were starting on the soup when Jack pulled up a chair beside Daniel.

"Daniel, you do know that Carter is feeding you, don't you?" asked Jack shaking up his carton of milk ready for his froot-loops. Daniel had his mouth full so Sam answered for him.

"Daniel can't use utensils because of his hands and I though it was a shame that he would miss out on some decent food for a change."

"You never offered feed me." groused Jack pouring the milk on his cereal.

"You have full use of your hands, sir." said Sam.

Daniel put up his hand to stop her, swallowed and said. "There's nothing wrong, with a friend helping another friend."

"Yeah," said Jack, "But everyone is going to be going on about your burgeoning romance now."

"Can't." said Daniel clumsily picking apart his muffin.

"Why?"

"Everyone's already going on about my burgeoning romance with Nurse Johnson." said Daniel unconcerned.

"Johnson, Johnson, that the nurse I caught you naked with the other day?"

"Naked!" cried Sam, "I thought you said you were just friends."

"We are, but she's also a nurse and I was a patient of course she's going to see me naked."

"Yeah," said Jack, pointing with his spoon, "But that doesn't explain the baby oil."

Sam's eyes widened, and Daniel blushed. "Shelly's a licensed masseuse, she offered to help me relax since I was very tense after suffering from hypothermia and falling off a cliff."

"It was only a small cliff." said Jack, through mouthful of frootloops.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "And that's my cue to leave." he said getting up.

"Daniel wait," said Sam. "We have a briefing in ten minutes let's just walk up together, okay?" Daniel nodded and waited for her to dispose of their trays. They left arm in arm laughing to themselves.

Jack finished his cereal and bolted out after them. He caught them at the elevator and slid in as the doors shut.

"Hey!" he cried as he barely avoided being squished. Daniel glared at him. "Look Danny, I'm sorry, I know you've had a run of bad luck lately, but we're going to fix that. Are we okay?" Daniel let out a small grin. "Are you messing with me?" The grin widened. "You are, you bastard!" He shoved Daniel who just laughed.

"You deserve." said Daniel, "You can be incredibly insensitive sometimes."

"I know." said Jack grinning.

When they made it to the briefing room Teal'c was already there standing by the table.

"I am pleased to see you are recovered Daniel Jackson." he gave his version of a smile and they all sat down.

"Thanks Teal'c. Nice to know someone cares." Daniel shot Jack a look, but then grinned. The General came in before Jack could make a retort and the meeting began.

"I'm glad to see you Dr Jackson, none the worse for wear I hope?" said Hammond.

"I'm fine, Dr Frasier released me this morning, but I'm afraid my usefulness is limited to what I can do with no hands."

"We'll see if we can arrange a typist for you." Hammond smiled endearingly and turned to Sam. "Major, you've called this meeting. I presume it's something important."

"It is sir." said Sam. Daniel gave her a puzzled look. "It's about Daniel's accident." She cleared her throat. "I've examined Daniel's rope, as requested by Colonel O'Neill."

"What?" Daniel asked as he turned to look at Jack.

"I had some suspicions, go on Carter."

"The rope was badly frayed as one might expect form a break due to wear and tear. Except when you put it under a microscope. The outer casing has clearly been cut, after that it was only a matter of time before the inner core unraveled and…"

"It snaps." said Daniel numbly. "I'm getting that someone tried to kill me vibe, again." he slumped in his seat.

"What's worse," said Jack, "is it had to be someone on base; no one else would have access to your pack." Daniel wrapped his arms around himself.

"It doesn't get any better, I'm afraid." said Sam, "You're entire pack was compromised."

"Do I even want to know?" asked Daniel. Sam gave him a helpless gesture and he sighed. "Go on."

"I'll start from the outside in." she said and Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Did you notice that your pack was heavier than normal?"

"A little, but I just assumed it was because I was out of shape."

"It was because of these." Sam got up and pulled over a dolly with Daniel's pack and contents stacked on it. She reached into the side pockets and retrieved a small, but heavy looking weight from each one.

"How much is that?" asked Jack.

"10lbs." said Sam. "In addition to everything else that normally comes to around 25lbs."

"Wow, no wonder you were out of breath."

"There's more." said Sam. She placed several NRG bars on the table, along with MRE's, a thermos, and a few clips of ammo. Jack snatched up one the snack-bars and un-wrapped it. "I wouldn't eat that sir." said Sam. "It's been tampered with."

"Tampered?" asked Daniel.

"All the food has a small amount of a strong sedative in it." she said. "As well, as well as…" Sam paused. "a err, rather potent form of Ipecac."

"Oh." said Daniel, digesting this information slowly. "Oh, god."

"What else Major." asked the General, morbidly curious.

"The clips." said Sam. "Extra ammo for Daniel's side-arm; they're blanks." Daniel stared, his brain whirring over possibilities and consequences of what Sam was telling them. He was suddenly snapped out of his visions of doom when Sam waved a hand in front of his face. "Daniel are you okay?" he looked up at her. "Right, stupid question."

"So what do we do now we know someone is trying to kill me?"

"I'm not so sure that's the case." said Sam quietly.

"What are you talking about?" cried Jack, "You just got done showing us someone has sabotaged everything in Daniel's pack!"

"Yes, but not fatally." Everyone looked at Sam, "Look if someone wanted Daniel dead all they'd have to do is put poison in the food or rigg the ammo to explode in his hands. This smacks a vindictiveness to me someone's playing with us they're trying to hurt Daniel, not kill him, at least not out right."

"Yeah, I feel so much better." Daniel muttered. Sam gave him a sympathetic look. "So is this the same person that blew up Jack's truck?" he asked seeing Jack's wince. Jack loved that truck but nothing would make him forget those seconds when he thought that Daniel had been inside when it blew.

"Possibly," said Sam. "We've established that was a scare tactic too. But unfortunately we're no closer to finding the person or persons responsible." The meeting adjourned shortly after and Daniel felt heavy inside.

'At least they're not trying to kill me,' he thought, 'no they're just trying to cause you to suffer incredible pain and hardship.' Daniel left the briefing room despondent but please his friend hadn't tried to keep this form him. Jack's hand snaked out and he wrapped arm around Daniel's shoulder to give him a quick squeeze.

"What say we go to my place after work and get stinking drunk?" he asked steering him to the elevator, with Sam and Teal'c bringing up the rear.

"I don't know." In situations like these, Daniel's first instinct was to dig in and deal with it alone.

"It'll be a good team night." said Jack not letting go.

Daniel sighed. "We'll need supplies." he said and Jack grinned.

"That can be arranged. Come on," he said, "we'll get supplies on the way home; the General was kind enough to give us the rest of the afternoon off. "Carter, we'll meet at my place at 1900 hours." Sam nodded and she and Teal'c exited the elevator together.

* * *

I hope you like the new look, I've gone for a longer look this time around. More room to spread and whump harder. :-D

We had a great response to the poll and the results are in...but you'll just have to wait any see: - D Cynic


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

Jack and Daniel got off the elevator on the office level.

"I need to get some stuff from my office," said Daniel, "and the post master is getting annoyed that I haven't been down to pick-up my mail since January."

"January, Daniel it's almost March!" Jack cried. "I thought they sent everything to your office."

"The only stuff that goes through the post office is the hard copies of memos and reports that also I get through my e-mail and as well any private inter-office mail. Anyway, anyone who has something for me usually just e-mails me, calls me or they drop it off by hand in my in-box. I keep forgetting to go down and check my box, because I get so busy especially recently when I've been in and out of the infirmary."

"Okay, we'll stop at the post office, but the only thing you can take from your office is you coat."

"Jack…"

"No, Daniel you can't take any work because you can't use your hands."

"Fine." said Daniel scowling.

* * *

Jack stood at the door to the post office and stared. Daniel stared too completely shocked.

"This all for me?" he asked, looking down at the two large boxes of mail.

"That's right, Dr. Jackson. Just sign here." Postmaster Pat offered Daniel a clipboard and a pen. Jack accepted it.

"I'll sign; he can't use his hands right now."

"Yes sir, will you need any help carrying this stuff out?"

"If it's only these two boxes, I can handle it." Jack looked at the two bags full to bursting with Daniel's mail, or more precisely, Daniel's Valentines.

* * *

Later at Jack's house the two men popped open a few beers and much to Daniel's chagrin began to go through Daniel's mail.

Jack sipped his beer and opened another red envelope.

"This one is from Nurse Jones. She says she'd love to see you in a less than professional capacity." Jack grinned and lay the card on the pile next to him. "From the looks of this lot you've got cards from every woman on base and then some." Daniel flushed. "That's the doorbell; it must be Carter and Teal'c with the pizza."

"Great," said Daniel, "I'm starved." he went to stand up.

"No, you stay there. Bask in the glow from your adoring fans." Daniel glared at him, but Jack just laughed and went to the door. "Hey, Sam, come in. We're just going through Daniel's fan mail.

"Oh, Wow." said Sam when she saw the mass of red in Jack's living room.

"Was it not Valentines day some weeks ago, Daniel Jackson?" asked Teal'c.

"Yeah, it was but I've been so tied up lately I forgot to check my box since before I broke my clavicle."

"Looks like you've got quite a fan club." said Sam. She sat down next to Daniel on the floor. "You need some help opening them?"

"If you like, Jack seems to think it's hilarious."

"Yeah," said Jack, as he laid out the paper plates and napkins for the pizza on the coffee table. "We've already heard from half the nursing staff and a couple of your research assistants." Sam looked up sharply.

"Which of my assistants?" she asked taking a beer from Jack.

"Err, Cohen, and Jacobs." said Daniel sucking his own beer through a straw.

"I'll kill 'em." said Sam, he eyes flashing.

Jack laughed. "Which on is yours then Carter?" he asked.

"I gave Daniel a card while he was in the infirmary." said Sam absently digging through the piles of cards. "Daniel gave me a whole bunch of Origami flowers." She opened one to the cards and read it. "I can't believe they have the guts to sign these things! This is from Sgt. Jessup she has some very interesting ideas about whipped cream." Jack laughed his head off, Teal'c raised and eyebrow and Daniel flashed beet-red.

* * *

Okay, had a little fun with this one. Daniel and his fans is just too tempting not to include. Though I have no idea if the SGC has a separate mail room, or anything aproximating one, but it makes sense, at least to me, that they would even if it is largely redundant due to computers.

This may be the last chapter I post in the next week or so, I'm going Grad school hunting in DC and I may not have access to post. If I have time tommorrow I'll post one more but no promises.

Later, Cynic.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

They enjoyed the evening together reading cards, eating pizza and just generally getting drunk. They put a dent in Daniel's cards, but there was still most of a box left by the time they passed out in the living room.

The next morning everyone was walking around cringing at noises, and shushing each other, well, everyone except Teal'c, who couldn't help but look smug as he handed out the aspirin and coffee.

"Sam could you help me change my dressings?" asked Daniel. "They kind of got dirty last night."

"Sure, Daniel, we can't have you wearing yesterday's dressings for your adoring fans." Sam grinned. Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Hey, tell me if this sounds weird." Jack's voice called out from the living room.

"What is it?" called Daniel.

"It's one of your cards." said Jack leaning on the door frame to the bathroom looking in at Sam and Daniel.

"What does it say?" asked Sam as she started to cut off Daniel's bandages.

"Roses are red, blood is red too,

My hands are stained.

And now yours are too."

"What does that mean?" asked Daniel glancing over at Jack.

"I think, I know." said Sam peeling back the gauze on Daniel's hands.

"What the hell?" cried Daniel his hands were covered in blood, there were small pock marks bleeding freely across his palms. Sam took the rest of the bandages off to reveal the same on both hands.

"What the hell happened?" cried Jack.

"They just started bleeding." Sam looked up panicked.

"Guy's this is really starting to burn, really bad." Daniel was looking up at his friends and then down at his hands completely freaked out by what was happening. Sam reacted quickly she started the shower pouring cold water, and then she grabbed Daniel's hands and dunked them in.

"Hold them under the spray." she said. "It that better?"

Daniel nodded. "A little."

"How'd you know to do that?" asked Jack.

"Safety protocols in the lab, most chemical burns need to be cleansed in cold water."

"How to you know it's a chemical burn?"

"It's either that or an allergic reaction, but that wouldn't be limited to his hands."

"But where did it come from?" asked Daniel. "I've had those wrappings on since yesterday."

"Could someone have added something without you seeing?" asked Jack.

"I watched Nurse Johnson dress his hands, all she used was distilled water to irrigate the blisters." said Sam.

"Then someone must have tampered with the fixings." said Jack.

"We should get Daniel back to the mountain." said Sam.

"How are we going to do that with my hands stuck under the shower?" Daniel asked looking down at his hands still bleeding freely into the bathtub.

"I'll call Frasier." said Jack leaving the room.

"I'll put some coffee on." said Sam, following him out.

"And I'll just stand here with my hands in the shower spray." said Daniel with a long suffering sigh.

"What has happened?" asked Teal'c standing in the doorway.

"My hands have gone from mild annoyance to searing pain, and whoever's messing with me has a sick sense of humor." Daniel nodded to the plain red Valentine card sitting on the counter where Jack had left it. Teal'c picked it up and read the message. His whole body tightened almost imperceptibly.

"You will be avenged, Daniel Jackson."

"I don't want to be avenged, Tealc. I just want this to stop happening."

"Then our goals coincide." said Teal'c. "How may I be of service to you now?"

"Could I have a stool? My back's going to be killing me if I stand leaning over here for much longer."

Teal'c bowed, and left. Daniel watched him go and sighed again.

* * *

I'm baa-ack! A little whumping to get me warmed up again after being in the frosty parts of the north-eastern USA. Hopefully, FFnet is working by the time I post this and I'll have a couple more chapters done once I get caught up with a few other things. Sufficed to say, things will get worse for Daniel before they get better. EG 

Cynic


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Janet came over in record time, throwing herself into the bathroom at the direction of Jack.

"What have you done now?" she cried.

"I didn't do anything!" Daniel said indignantly, well as indignant as you can be while, sitting on a stool with your hands under running water.

Janet sighed at the sight and stepped into the room to look into the tub. Daniel wiggled his fingers as water ran clear above them and a pinkish red below.

"Okay, let me see." Daniel pulled out one of his hands holding it out tentatively. "Ouch." said Janet examining the still bleeding sores.

"Is there anything you can do?" asked Daniel.

"Well, I can redress your hands and hope that the chemical has been flushed out."

"Or?"

"Or, I can clean and cauterized the wounds in one fell swoop."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "And how would you do that?"

"Hydrogen Peroxide."

Daniel visibly winced. "That's going to hurt isn't it?"

"It's the best way to disinfect the sores and stop the bleeding." said Janet. "Yes, it will hurt a lot."

"Isn't there another way?"

"That's all that's at hand; the Colonel wasn't exactly specific in his call."

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's do it."

Janet turned to Jack who was standing by at the door. "I'll need a large bowl."

Jack returned with a punch bowl. Janet filled it a third of the way up and then topped it up with the peroxide.

"That's very strong." said Jack.

"Okay Daniel, I need to you dunk your hands in and hold them there for at least 30 seconds."

"If this is going to hurt half as much as I think it will, you'll want to have Jack hold my arms." Janet nodded, she and Jack switched places in the confined space.

Jack donned a pair of yellow rubber gloves. "Oh, that makes me feel so much better." said Daniel

"Hey, my skin isn't being burned off by a chemical and I don't intend it to be.

"Fair enough."

"Are you ready?"

"No."

"Daniel."

"Okay, now!" Daniel pulled his hands out from under the water and plunged them into the bowl, he cried out and almost immediately went to pull them out again, but Jack held his wrists until Janet called time. Jack pulled Daniel's hands out and plunged them in another bowl of clean water. Janet took over from there; she patted down Daniel's hands and then covered them with cool towels. She led him into the living room, popped two white pills into his mouth and gave him a sip of water to wash them down.

"What did you just give him?" asked Jack quietly, as he and Janet stood back and let Sam get Daniel laid down on the couch.

"Painkiller and a sedative, he's had a shock to his system with this and his hands are going to hurt a lot until that new layer of skin hardens on them." said Janet. "He'll have some scarring but he should regain full use of his hands once they're healed."

"Should?" questioned Jack the fear creeping into his voice.

"I won't know the extent of the damage until I've had a chance to properly examine him. I think he's had enough for now." Jack nodded and they watched as Sam placed a wet towel over Daniel's eyes.

* * *

Ahh, RL and the terrible things that tear us away from what really matters, like finishing this story! Oh well, needs must I guess and I do have chapters ready to be proofed for the next couple of days I think. If I have time I may do a double post, but no promises. :-D The end is in sight and well...you'll just have to wait and see won't you?

Cynic


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

We're been through all of Daniel's mail now, Sir." Sam made her report to the General over the phone. "Well, most of them violate all the sexual harassment policies, as well as a few that are just down right scary, but we only found three others that are both the same kind of card and include cryptic poems that claim credit for Daniel's recent spate of injuries." Sam took a sip of coffee and raised her mug to Daniel, who nodded emphatically from where his was reclined on Sam's couch. Sam smiled and snagged the coffee pot as she listened and poured Daniel more coffee. Daniel grinned and grabbed the cup his hands looked huge in the novelty oven gloves that Sam had provided so he could hold the cup. "Yes, sir." said Sam, "Daniel's fine, but we think he'll be safer off base." Daniel slipped one hand out of the glove so he could scratch his nose, the skin had initially been a livid red, but had now lightened to an almost white that stopped abruptly at his wrist. Janet had told him there'd always be a discoloration due to the scar tissue. "Well sir," Sam continued, "The suspect cards are all a plain red color, they look home made, with the poems stuck inside printed on white paper. The poems detail Daniel's injuries going back even before the cave in on P2X-1435, what the Colonel called Paradise Planet, yes, that's what he called it before the cave-in, oh yes the poems. Well the most recent one deals with Daniel's hands:

'Roses are Red

Violets are Blue

My hands are stained

And now yours are too.'

"Yes, sir it is disturbing…the others? Let me see…

'Water, water every where

But no enough to drink.'

"We believe that was from the planet where the 'gate was on a very small island, there was water for miles around, yes. Daniel suffered from a stomach virus that severely dehydrated him." Daniel shuddered on the couch and took a long drink of coffee. "The next one deals with the OD:

'A spoon full of pollen helps

the medicine go down.'

"Yes sir, we got your report on what they found in Daniel's office. Several packets of pollen, which is what caused Daniel to double his dose that increased the danger when he was dosed with the extra meds. Next one:

'May flights of Angels help you fall

Soft landing hard in nature's call.'

"It refers to the rope and the tampered food…The explosion? No sir, we think that one was lost in the mail. The forensics team was able to pull a serial number off one of the bomb pieces; they're running the lead now. I'll be back on base this afternoon to check on things and drop off my report. Yes sir, as soon as Colonel O'Neill gets back, I'm leaving. No sir, we're taking shifts. Teal'c will be spending the night here. Yes, we're out at my place, the Colonel's is a little obvious since we're always there, yes sir I'll speak to you when I get back on base. I hope so too sir. Good bye."

"What do you hope?" asked Daniel.

"That we find out who's doing this soon and stop them."

"Mm…me too." said Daniel, he frowned and looked up from his mug. "Doesn't it strike you as an odd comment on our lives that when faced with a threat our list of possibilities includes intergalactic intrigue government agents and secret organizations, but no one's stopped to consider this might be personal; a stalker not even the slightest bit to do with the 'gate just a really sick person." Daniel sighed his expression had gone from marveling to morose as he voiced his observation.

"In some ways," said Sam as she sat next to him on the couch, "I think this might be worse."

"Yeah, it reminds me of how sick and twisted plain old human beings can be, without alien intervention."

"Makes you wonder why we bothered saving the world so many times."

"No, we can't judge the whole by the actions of the few."

"You're a better person than me Daniel. If I knew some sicko was deliberately causing me harm I'd be livid."

"Don't let this calm fool you, Sam I'm pissed beyond reason. So many people seem to want to do me harm and yet I'm still expected to be the bigger man, to take this in stride and not feel this overwhelming desire to break something." Daniel clutched his cup has hard as he could through the ridiculous gloves. Sam carefully relieved him of it and took off the oven gloves too.

"It's okay Daniel, we'll get through this."

Sam and Teal'c spent the night with Daniel while Jack followed up on some leads from the explosion. Whenever off base together, it was almost a tradition of sorts for SG-1 to get extremely drunk as way to ease whatever tensions remained of the day, but considering their current tensions, the three members of the premier team at the SGC were stone cold sober. Sam Daniel and Teal'c stayed up most of the night playing poker. Teal'c had the best poker face and ended up with the biggest pile of pretzels that they were using for chips.

"I'm beginning to regret teaching you this game." said Daniel munching on his pretzels.

"Well, if you didn't eat the money," said Sam as she snaked a 'chip' from Daniel's pile.

"Hey!" Daniel cried out but he was smiling. Sam grinned and then her face just fell. Teal'c was on his feet in an instant. Daniel looked out the window. "What is it?"

"Get down!" Sam yelled diving behind the table. Daniel was on the floor before Teal'c could get to him and the room was sprayed with bullets. Rounds ricocheted off the walls and furniture. There was a squeal of tires and the room fell silent. "Daniel, Teal'c? Are you guys okay?"

"I'm okay." called Daniel.

"As am I." intoned Teal'c.

"What the hell was that?" cried Sam as she stood up.

"I believe it is referred to as a drive-by." said Teal'c as he helped Daniel up.

"I know that Teal'c but this isn't really that kind of neighborhood."

"My secret admirer strikes again." said Daniel grimly.

"Let's get back to the base." said Sam. "We can protect you better that way."

"Yeah, just so long as I don't eat sleep or breathe."

"Nothing happened when we were guarding you last month." said Sam.

"Okay, but call Jack and Hammond and let them know that we're coming in."

* * *

I'm having so much fun with this story, and all your comments are great! I know some of you will be dissapointed that Daniel didn't get shot in this chapter, but you can't have everything and if you want him to die then he has to survive a few things to get there. :-D

Cynic


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

"He claims to know nothing." Jack walked into the briefing room still wearing his black ops gear.

"Who is he?" asked Daniel watching the feed from the interrogation room.

"Ex-NID now hired gun. Hired by his old bosses to put the scare on us and make a mistake, so they can jump all over us."

"How'd you get that if he's not talking?" asked Daniel.

"We traced the bomb part to its manufacturer and back purchase to a fake ID used by the NID. Checked who was using it and found an apartment registered in that name. Carter's contacts were able to tell us his objective." said Jack.

"But this makes no sense." Daniel frowned. "How did he get on base to tamper with my equipment? Or moreover if he was trying to put us all out of step why was all the sabotage aimed at me?"

"Maybe it's because you're not military Daniel, you're not trained to handle this stuff."

"No, I've just been fighting aliens and exploring the galaxy for going on seven years."

"Um where did Teal'c go?" asked Sam. They all looked around noting the apparent lack of the Jaffa.

"I think, I know." said Daniel. He pointed at the monitor.

"What is Teal'c doing in the interrogation room?" asked Sam.

On the screen Teal'c was leaning over the suspect a hand on his shoulder.

"What's he saying?" asked Jack. Sam hit the sound on the screen and Teal'c voice came over the speaker.

"Your mission has failed. Your employer will kill you as soon as you leave our protection. However, if we find a reason for you to remain here you will find yourself much less dead than if we do not."

"There's nothing you can do to me."

"You are very much mistaken." Teal'c leaned down and whispered something in the man's ear. Even those watching on the monitor could see the man had paled.

"You can't protect me." he hissed. Teal'c leaned forward again but the man just slumped over in a dead faint.

"The Doc says he'll be out for a while." said Jack grinning. "She said something scared the piss out of him."

"I wish I knew what Teal'c said to him." said Sam.

"I don't." said Daniel. "And I hope I never give Teal'c any reason to tell me."

"Good point." said Sam. Daniel let out a huge yawn. "Tired, Daniel?"

"I'm exhausted, I feel like I haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a week."

"That would be because you haven't unless you count being unconscious." said Sam.

"I don't." said Jack. "Go sack out in your office. I'll come get you when we know something."

Daniel just nodded as he stumbling out of the briefing room. He wasn't going to sleep, he couldn't even as tired as he was his mind was still spinning around all the possibilities of the interrogation, still he felt better knowing the person responsible was locked in a room 5 floors below and unconscious, thanks to a very scary Jaffa he was proud to call friend. He reached his office with a sigh of relief and set about making coffee.

He took the cup over to his desk and began sifting through all the paperwork and projects scattered there. In amongst the translations and carbon dating reports was a bright red envelope. Daniel took a huge gulp of the coffee as he saw it and almost spat out the liquid. He managed to swallow and then gingerly reached for the envelope. He opened the flap and pulled out the card; it was the same as the others just a plain red card. Daniel's fingers slid inside the crease and he opened it, a shower of confetti hearts fluttered out and on to the desk. The sentiment of the card read.

'Live as a body, stiff as a corpse.

Live as a body, stiff as a corpse.'

Daniel instinctively put his hand out for his coffee, but his hand felt sluggish as he gripped the cup, his fingers were tingling and then numb. The mug slipped from his fingers and they both fell with a dull thud on the floor.

* * *

Dum dum dah! I promised more whumping and I always deliver on my promises. EG

Cynic


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Jack knew it was a mistake the moment he'd sent Daniel off alone, but he couldn't very well run after him without telling him he didn't want him to be left alone, which in Daniel-speak would translate as Jack not trusting Daniel to be alone, on base and in his office, that was only recently swept for contamination and cleaned too, a fact that annoyed the famously abstractly organized archeologist to no end. So Jack let him go, for ten minutes, long enough for him to try to work and then fall asleep on the desk, where Jack would find him and could check up on him without Daniel even knowing he'd been checked up on at all.

* * *

Daniel lay on the floor of his office eyes half open, but unable to move. His body was numb and no matter how hard he tried his limbs just refused to obey his commands. He lay there for hours, he thought, until he heard the familiar shunt of the door opening. He heard Jack gasp and curse and run to his side. Warm hands rolled Daniel from his side to his back, so he stared up at the ceiling while fingers checked his pulse and began CPR. The clatter of the gurney could be heard coming down the hall and Dr Frasier was there, looking down, ordering the medics to lift Daniel onto the gurney. She shone a light into his eyes, but he couldn't move to stop her and only Daniel saw the magnitude of the fear in her face as she ordered them take him from the room.

The lights of the corridor flashed by him, he couldn't even close his eyes. They did everything they could, Daniel decided, he'd felt every pound on his chest, every jab of every needle, every volt of every time they shocked him, and he knew that they were still trying, that Janet would not let them stop even after she saw the flat line on the heart monitor. She refused to see him dead, it had never happened before Daniel realized, he'd never died in the infirmary, not really, sure there was the occasional flat line, but not an 'I pronounce you dead' kind of dead, and if anyone was an authority on the difference it was Daniel Jackson.

It was a relief almost, when the nurse told her to stop that he was gone and though he was happy not to be pummeled any more, Daniel was still there, still waiting to be gone. He heard Janet take a deep breath as she bent down and kissed his forehead.

"I'm sorry." she whispered and pulled her fingers down over his eyes to close them. They stayed closed for a second and then flicked back up as the curtain was drawn back into place.

Daniel heard Janet tell them he was dead. From beyond the curtain he heard Jack curse and there was a clatter of something being thrown across the room.

"Sir!" cried Sam as the curtain was dragged back.

"No, Carter!" yelled Jack. "He's not dead." he said more quietly. Daniel felt hands on him shaking him. "Daniel, you are not dead." cried Jack shaking him harder. Daniel could only stare at Jack's pain filled eyes, unable to move, unable to reassure him. Jack gathered Daniel up into his arms. "You can't be dead." he whispered. "You're not dead." Daniel listened his heart breaking as he looked over Jack's shoulder at Sam's stricken face and Teal'c's frozen mask. Janet pulled the curtain around them and he saw that she too was upset. "You're not dead." Jack breathed into his shoulder.

'No,' thought Daniel, though he couldn't say it, 'I'm not dead.' Daniel called out to them, begged them to see the life in his eyes, but all they saw was their own pain. Janet eased Jack off him and they laid Daniel back onto the bed then with one final look that said goodbye she pulled a sheet over Daniel's head. 'Wait,' said Daniel silently, 'Jack, I'm not dead. I'm not dead.' He repeated unheard as they laid him in a body bag, 'I'm not dead. I'm not dead,' he chanted to the darkness that smelled of formaldehyde and death. 'I'm not dead' he tried to tell the morgue technician, but as the drawer slammed home in the morgue, he began to consider, 'Maybe I am dead.'

* * *

We made it! Thirty chapters later we've come full circle! Daniel's dead! Woo:-P Okay so how many chapters before he's alive again? ;-D 


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-one

Janet couldn't bear it, couldn't stand looking over at the bed in the corner to see the death of one of the most alive men she'd ever known, she'd ordered them take the body down to the morgue as quickly as possible. But it didn't work, the empty bed taunted her and she couldn't bring herself to sit down and do the final entry in Daniel's file. Again.

* * *

Jack took off, he wanted to leave the base, leave the mountain, leave the planet, but he couldn't he was still 2IC, he was still a Colonel in the United States Air Force. He couldn't walk out on his duty; he never could, not for Sara, not for Charlie, and certainly not for too young too blued eye too innocent civilians who died too damn often anyway. Jack went to the gym, where he found a punching bag and a way to work out his anger and focus on the task at hand; killing the man who'd murdered his friend.

* * *

General Hammond told Walter to hold his calls after Janet had called him with the news. It had finally happened, the event that would destroy his premier team and perhaps even him as well. George felt old, too old to be watching men and women go off and maybe never come back, too old to get used to the fantastic nature of daily life under Cheyenne. He'd been too old to command a front line base, more than seven years ago as he'd watched a man in gold retreat through a circle of water and disappear, and yet even in his old age and supposed wisdom, he had never considered the consequences of his orders to retrieve the final original member of the Abydos mission, he'd been angry and made assumptions and been wrong, about so many things, but he knew in his heart he would never regret sending for Daniel Jackson that day. Despite the tragedies that surrounded him, the man was brilliant, a genius even, but no one could have foreseen how perfect he was for the 'peaceful explorer' role. George would miss everything that Daniel contributed to the SGC, his time, his experience and expertise, his voice, his life and his soul, most of all George knew he would miss his friend. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and a glass, he poured two fingers of the burnt amber liquid and raised the glass in salute, to a great man and a great friend, Dr Daniel Jackson.

* * *

Teal'c found himself in Daniel's office looking for solace he no longer found in Kel nor reem and yet when he approached he found the room occupied, Samantha Carter lay curled up on the couch, her face now relaxed in peace betrayed her, by showing the red streaks of one who has cried themselves to sleep. Teal'c closed the door not wanting to disturb his friend and then went in search of O'Neill. Where, Teal'c knew, he would not find peace, but perhaps together they could find a measure of closure in the painful execution of the one responsible for their pain.

* * *

Daniel was getting used to being dead, it wasn't that difficult, after all, all he had to do was lie there and be dead. It wasn't what he'd expected, death, not after having died a half dozen times before, this wasn't his normal 'bang, you're dead, ping now you're not' scenario. There were no white lights, no harps, no Sha're, no parents, no long lost dead relatives to welcome him into an afterlife. This was his cold naked body on a cold metal slab in a cold grey room in the basement of a cold grey military base at the bottom of a mountain. 

As a scientist Daniel knew what would happen to his body as it decayed, though he'd never considered actually being conscious of it as it happened. He'd already felt most of the warmth leave his body, and he knew that the blood was settling in his extremities. If he were outside there would already be insects and animals scavenging his flesh, he was almost sorry that he would not be allowed to return to the earth, be absorbed and reborn, but for right now, all Daniel had to look forward to was; Dr Childs, the base pathologist, and her very sharp scalpel.

* * *

EG! I thank you for the amazing response I got from the last chapter, I'm so glad everyone's enjoyed what I've come up with so far. On with Daniel's death and maybe his autopsy! 

Cynic


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jack and Teal'c pummeled two heavy-bags into submission while expounding and relishing their discussion on the many and varied 'questioning' techniques they'd come across in their travels. By the end of it both men were exhausted and slightly less murderous than before, but only slightly. They had decided during their discussion, that it didn't make sense for the man they had to be the sole culprit, he didn't have the access to tamper with Daniel's equipment, and he hadn't used a fake ID to get in, security swore that the man they held had not been through the gates, and the front gate footage bore that out.

"There had to have been a second man inside the base." said Jack as the two men got changed.

"I concur." said Teal'c. "Whoever it is may still be here having completed their task unhindered."

"Our guy seemed convinced that we wouldn't be able to protect him."

"Indeed, he may have knowledge of the second perpetrator."

"Let's go ask him." said Jack an evil smirk sliding across his face.

"Indeed." said Teal'c with a matching expression.

* * *

Sam had retreated to her own office and then found herself in Daniel's after security had swept the room and not found anything to cause such a sudden reaction. The card along with its macabre epitaph had been found where Daniel had fallen in a puddle of spilled coffee. Sam spent hours just staring at that phrase. 

_Live as a body, stiff as a corpse_

_Live as a body, stiff as a corpse_

Clearly, Daniel's admirer had a sick sense of humor. She was so sure none of the tricks were meant to kill him, they were about pain, not death, but this was so hard to accept, when she had been staring in the face of her dead friend. Sam sniffed she refused to shed more tears, she would focus on making sense of what happened and finding the person responsible. It would be a way to say goodbye, she thought, answering the questions surrounding the death of the man who'd lived his life asking for answers and then asking why.

Sam sniffed again and stood, she would find the Colonel and Teal'c, they would help her find the answers and together they would give their friend the peace he deserved.

* * *

I'm trying really hard to bring Daniel back to life, but the guys just insisted on mourning him some more, oh and plotting their venegence, which I thought was nice, so I let them have at it, at least for now.

Cynic


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Staff Sergeant Laurence 'Larry' Smith was, in his opinion, one of the most unlucky people to walk the halls at the SGC, his assignment, in a word, sucked. The only people who were even more unlucky than Larry were his clients, and that was mostly only because, when Larry saw clients they were dead.

Larry was the morgue attendant and pathology assistant. It was his dubious honor to prepare the dead soldiers for autopsy and then burial, or usually cremation. There were a lot of classified wounds on the bodies that Larry saw, but there were no wounds on the body he was preparing today. The man may have been sleeping for all the presence of the death there was around him. Well, but for the fact that he wasn't protesting being rolled from the gurney to the autopsy table, laid out completely naked for all, well for Larry, to see how utterly flawless he was at the time of his death. Larry read the toe tag.

"Dr Daniel Jackson." he said thoughtfully. "Weren't you dead already?" he asked the corpse. "Huh, must have been another Jackson." Larry continued to position the limbs and moved to arrange the tools for the doctor when she was ready. As much as Larry hated his job, he was also very good at it, an autopsy arranged by Laurence Smith was performed with perfectly cleaned tools, and above all with respect and reverence for the deceased and the sacrifice who ever it was had made to end up on the table before him.

Larry washed the body carefully, with tepid water from an over head hose pipe. He took finger nail scrapings and combed any detritus from the hair. He frowned when he found a few pieces of red confetti, but then he shrugged and poured the lot into an envelope and labeled it for delivery to one of the labs. It wasn't until he got ready to draw a blood sample that he noticed the eyes were still open.

"I wish wouldn't stare." he said and pulled the eyelids down before continuing his assigned tasks. Larry laid the ampoule of blood to one side and then made some notes for the doctor when she arrived. He glanced at the clock, she was running late, Dr Childs was rarely late, but when she was it meant that Larry got to start without her. Contrary to popular belief, Larry was not a ghoul, he did not relish the dealings he had with the dead, but he was interested in the body, the workings of what made a creature living, or as the case maybe dead. To be allowed to cut into a body for the first time was an honor, because he got to be the first to really look and see what made that person tick. "Looks like you're dancing with me today." he said looking down at the face of what was once a man named Daniel Jackson, the eyes had flicked open again and though they didn't stare at him, Larry could feel what was left of a very intense gaze.

"Well, let's get started, we'll go for the Y incision first." said Larry he changed his gloves and moved the instruments over to the table. He chose a scalpel and lined it up on the sternum, and then pulled the blade down.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Larry dropped the blade and ran for some gauze; he pushed the cotton down on the wound as blood ran freely down the chest. "Oh, my god!" Larry cried applying pressure to the wound to stop the flow. Larry was freaking out because he knew, even without a medical degree; he knew the first cardinal rule about preparing the dead. Dead bodies don't bleed.

* * *

-Evil grin- Oh come on now you didn't really think I'd let them cut him open? Ok, so I thought about it, but I didn't do it! 


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

Daniel stared at the ceiling, mostly because that's all he could do. The technician was puttering around him collecting instruments, moving tables. Then he was being rolled, first the gurney was rolled and then he was rolled on to the table. The cold autopsy table, where at some point Daniel hoped he would lose consciousness, or, at least, lose feeling. The technician muttered as he worked, the patch on his uniform said Smith, and Daniel remembered hearing something about him not being well liked, because of all the time he spent with dead bodies, knowing the military as he did, Daniel knew that the poor man had not had much choice in the assignment and didn't take much stock in the rumors that floated around the base. For his part Smith was being absolutely professional, throughout the preparations of Daniel's body his touch was cold, clinical and utterly without shame or discomfort. Daniel was washed and cleaned and combed and pricked and if he could blush he'd have been beet-red, but Smith continued on, drawing the instruments nearer. Daniel saw his head raise and look at the wall.

"Looks like you'll be dancing with me today." he said and reached for a tray of instruments. Daniel saw the scalpel it sparkled in the over head lights, he wanted to scream, he wanted to close his eyes again and wish himself into an afterlife that didn't include being cut open, but nothing happened, he couldn't move, he couldn't speak and then the blade sliced through his skin, at first there was nothing and then there was pain, burning stinging, painful pain, Daniel's mind cried out, as he felt the blood well and drip down his chest and then he saw it, the shock on Smith's face, the fear and then the panic. "Oh, my god! Oh, my god!" The blade clattered as it fell from boneless fingers on to the table, and then the technician sprung into action, pressing pads to the wound, holding it down. "Oh, my god!" he cried again.

* * *

Dr. Childs hurried to the morgue, she knew that Larry would begin the autopsy if she was late, but she really needed to be present for this one. General Hammond had just given her a long brief on the nature of the death and she knew how important it was that she determine the cause of death, so that the persons responsible could be identified and detained as soon a possible.

Dr Jackson was a very important member of this facility, she'd been told, several times, and whoever did this, needs to be brought to justice so that his team can find closure. There was fear in Hammond's eyes, she noticed, it wasn't closure Jackson's team was looking for, it was vengeance, and Hammond was dead set on stopping them from ruining their lives over their friend's horrible and senseless-his words- murder. Dr Childs entered the morgue at a fast pace.

"Larry, if you've started already just hold on-"she stopped and stared. Her technician was stood pressing on a heavily bleeding wound of a man she assumed was Jackson, and yet she paused. "He's bleeding." she said dumbly.

"He's alive help me!" cried Larry. The pathologist blinked for a second and then hurried to the phone, meaning to call in a medical team, but as she picked up the receiver she felt herself shoved head first into the wall, and then she notice dizzily that the floor was suddenly getting closer and closer, before she blacked out entirely.

* * *

Daniel didn't know what was going on, one minute he was dead and being autopsied and the next his would be carver was crying out, he was alive! The pain was making him, dizzy and his focus blurred a little, but he gathered someone else and had come to help, and perhaps confirm that he was alive. 

Daniel could have laughed, only he would need a second opinion on whether on or not he was in fact dead. It was a point that he'd have thought would be easily made and yet here he was apparently undead and then things got even more confused, the pressure on his chest disappeared the figure above him rushed from view, a decidedly more blurry view thanks to blood loss-which if he thought about it was yet more evidence that he was still alive- and the next person to look down on him was a woman, he thought, a blonde, but he couldn't discern much more than that. The pressure was back on his chest and he felt a prick in his arm.

"Sssh," she said her voice was low, distorted. "I'll take care of you now." Daniel had blinked three times before realizing this was the first time in several hours he'd been able to blink. It was such a relief, and he blinked a few more times just for the novelty of it. He looked up at the person who was helping him, she was now dressing the incision covering it with gauze and taping it down like a pro. Daniel tried to focus on her face tried to see who it was, and then it clicked, who else would have figured it out? There was another prick on his arm, and he was fading fast.

"ThhhanksssSam." he whispered and surrendered to the darkness.

* * *


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Jack had just stepped out of his meeting with Hammond, a meeting where he was informed that someone had stolen Daniel's body. An airman had found Dr Childs and her assistant unconscious in the morgue, and a torn toe-tag was left lying on the autopsy table. Someone had stolen Daniel's body; Jack had a hard time wrapping his mind around the concept. Why would someone…no, he refused to complete that thought before he threw up. He sat heavily in his usual seat in the briefing room. Sam and Teal'c came in, because Hammond had summoned them to tell them about Daniel, but from the looks on their faces, Jack knew the grapevine had beaten him to it. They were here now looking for confirmation, Sam took one look at Jack and she had it.

"Oh, my god." she said her face a few shades lighter as she took her seat.

Teal'c's frown deepened. "I do not understand the purpose behind this act."

"I don't think I want to." said Jack, leaning back in his chair.

"We have to find him." said Sam.

"We will, there are only so many places a person can hide body."

"How do we know whoever took him, is still on base?"

"We've been in lockdown since before Daniel…" he couldn't say it, he wanted to, his mouth could form the word, but he couldn't say; 'died' "…was found." said Jack. "We'll get a couple of squads together and do a top to bottom search."

"Unscheduled off world activation! Unscheduled off world activation! Medical team to the gate-room!"

"Ah, crap!" said Jack.

* * *

Daniel was strapped down, that much he knew; he felt the belts across his chest and legs. He was, at least, dressed; he thought thankfully, he felt the scrubs ride up on his calves. The room was nondescript as military rooms went, grey walls, and a wrought iron grey door. He was still a little groggy, he thought, as the room did a slow loop and settled back into the muzzy clarity that was life without his glasses. Then for the first time Daniel was aware of another person in the room. He saw the outline of a woman pacing up and down, and then remembered. 

"Sam?" he whispered his voice so hoarse.

* * *

Shelly paced the room up and down, she was worried. Things had been going so well, he'd been nice, even flirty, she smiled, they'd become friends again; she scowled, but it wasn't enough, he had to remember! He had to see what they had and what they could have again. For that to happened, he had to wake up and about that Shelly was worried. 

"Sam?"

"Sam?" Shelly scowled whirling around to face the man on the bed. "Do all this for you and you call me by that bitch's name?" she screeched at him.

Daniel blinked clearing his vision. "Not Sam?" He squinted and blinked a few more times, but was obviously unable to either make out or recognize the woman standing by his bed.

"Oh, you poor dear!" she cried, "I sorry, I didn't think." she grabbed something off the bedside table. "Here I took these from the infirmary stash." She sat next to him on the bed and slid the pair of glasses onto his face. "There now, that's better."

Daniel blinked frowned and blinked again. "Shelly?" The woman grinned. "What's happened? What's going on? Why am I tied down? Wha-" Shelly put a finger to his lips.

"Ssshhh," she said smiling fondly at him and caressing his face and smoothing back his hair. "I'm taking care of you now, and everything is going to be perfect." Daniel's eyes widened in surprise at both Shelly's words and her actions; this was not the young nurse he had befriended in the infirmary. Shelly was frowning at him again. "You look a little pale." she said, "You should sleep some more allow the antidote to finish working." She petted him on the head again, and Daniel was already feeling the pull of sleep before she'd even gotten up off the bed.

"Unscheduled of world activation! Unscheduled off world activation! Medical team to the gate-room!"

Shelly looked up at the flashing light in the corner of the room and cursed. She knelt down on the bed kissed the unconscious man on the lips and rushed from the room.

* * *

Daniel's alive! Hurrah! Now I can whump him somemore! Yippee:D 

Cynic


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

Daniel could hear footsteps tramping passed the doorway and he wanted to call out, but his voice was so hoarse, he couldn't make himself heard. More steps came and stopped outside the door, and the bulk head creaked open.

"Shelly?" The word popped out before Daniel could stop it, his voice rasped in the back of his throat. Shelly gave him a small smile and then brought a cup from his bedside. She held the straw for him and he sipped water from the cup. Daniel coughed and cleared is throat.

"I'm glad you awake." she said, and leaned down to kiss him. Daniel tried to move away, but she subtly held his head in place.

"Shelly, what is going on?" he asked, when she let him go.

"You're dead." she said, simply.

"What's happened, why am I tied down?"

"Don't you remember?" she pouted, "This is how we first met."

Daniel blinked hard. "What?"

"The sarcophagus addiction; you were my first patient here. You were so nice when you apologized for your withdrawal. I knew you were special even then." Daniel stared at her speechless. "I took care of you every time you came in. When you were addicted to the Light, when you were sick after Ammonet died and I took care of you while you were dying of radiation poisoning." she smiled conspiratorially, "That was my favorite one, you needed me completely then. I was looking forward to nursing you back to health, but then you had to go and ascend and ruin everything!" She turned her back to him and began filling a syringe from a small vial.

"Shelly, what are you doing?"

"When you came back I thought it was great, another chance to be with you. But you didn't even remember me." she spat these last words with venom.

"I didn't remember anyone!"

"But you did remember! You remembered everyone else, but you didn't remember me!" She was shouting at him holding the needle like a dagger in her fist.

"Shelly, I'm sorry I didn't remember you, I'm still piecing things together even now."

"But you remembered them!" she cried gesturing wildly. "You remembered Hammond and Frasier. You remember the Jaffa, and O'Neill. Even Major Carter and Sergeant Siler! You remembered them. Yet I spent hours with you each time you came in, but not even the slightest hint of recognition." She stopped suddenly aware of her own outburst, she flushed embarrassed. "But I got over it." she said quietly.

"I can see that." said Daniel under his breath.

"I decided to give you the opportunity to get to know me all over again."

"So you've been sabotaging my equipment in the hopes I'll get hurt and come to the infirmary."

She rushed to his side and put the needle on the bedside table. "It was the only way." She held his hand and ran her fingers up and down his arm. "You didn't know who I was, what we had together." Daniel wanted to pull his arm away, but the straps prevented it. "We became friends." She continued unaware of his discomfort with her touch. "That connection came back, you gave me this." She pulled out the paper flower he'd given her. "You liked me again, I could tell." Shelly's expression darkened. "But then she came into the picture."

"She?"

"She: Major 'I'm so fucking perfect' Carter. She muscled into our time together; she took you away from me."

"That's not true."

"I saw you!" She screeched, standing up. "I saw you with her, her throwing herself at you, feeding you! She doesn't deserve you at all. I'm the only one who gets to have you!" she picked up the filled needle from the table.

"No, it's not like that with me and Sam."

"Sam!" she spat. "It took you two hours to be comfortable calling her Sam. It took you three months to recognize me enough to call me Shelly." She was getting hysterical, "You love her, and not me, that's become very clear, but I can't let her have you, I just can't. We're going to go back to when everything went wrong." She said brandishing the needle. "We're going to go back to the radiation poisoning, but this time." she squirted some of the liquid out. "You won't be ascending."

* * *

I was going to end this part somewhere else but, I just saw that line and was like, perfect: D Cynic 


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"What are you going to do?" asked Daniel eyeing the needle, with deep suspicion.

"This," she said, holding the syringe up, "is a new form of chemo-therapy, it's highly potent and it has some shocking side effects, probably why it was never approved to be tested on humans." she said thoughtfully and shrugged.

"Shelly." Daniel cried as he struggled against the straps. "How can we be together if you kill me?"

"Oh, Daniel, it won't kill you. It will give us our time together, like it should have been." Just then the klaxon sounded and the PA announced an unscheduled off world activation. "Not, now!" cried Shelly, her face contorted in anger and disappointment. "I have to go." she said, "I'll be missed." she capped the needle and put it in her pocket. "I'll be back." she leaned over and kissed him and then she was gone out the door.

Daniel laid back, exhausted and maybe even in shock, but he knew he couldn't rest long, he had to get free, had to escape.

* * *

Jack and the rest of SG-1 watched as each member of SG-11 rolled out of the Stargate and then, a very disheveled looking Colonel Dickinson stumbled across the event horizon, only to collapse on the other side himself. Janet and her team of nurses rushed to help the injured and get them situated on gurneys.

"Doctor?" Hammond called from the control room.

Janet looked up from her efforts. "Extensive burns sir." she said.

"It was a volcano." said Dickinson, "The gate was in the crater of a god-damn not extinct volcano." He coughed harshly and allowed himself to be led down the ramp and laid on a gurney.

"Okay, let's get these men moved." said Janet, ordering treatments as the four gurneys were rolled out of the room. Hammond turned to the technician at the console.

"Call maintenance and strike PQ3-1743 from the database."

"Yes, sir."

Hammond turned and went back up to his office followed by Jack.

"Sir, about Daniel."

"There's nothing I can do, Jack, we don't know what happened and we won't until Dr Childs or her assistant wakes up."

"We can search the base sir, there's only so many places you can stash a body."

"I'm more concerned with figuring out who our security leak is, there's no telling how much other damage this individual has done and what someone with such instability could do in the future. This person may have stolen Dr. Jackson's body to cover up evidence of their identity."

"Or they could be using him as some life-sized sock-puppet!"

"Colonel!"

"I'm sorry sir, but this is clearly not someone with sanity high on their list of good qualities. Daniel deserved better, sir."

"Alright, I'll allow you and your team to do a sweep of the base; if you do find this person, be sure you call for back-up, I won't have any of you injured for what is essentially an empty shell. Dr Jackson would not want you hurt avenging him."

"I understand thank you sir."

* * *

Shelly stood over the unconscious form of Larry Smith the Morgue attendant. She knew she'd taken out the doctor without her seeing her face, but Smith was a different problem he's fought back. She didn't blame him, he'd been fighting for Daniel, and that was something she could understand. Nevertheless she couldn't have him wake up and finger her before she could get away with Daniel, he was the most important thing right now, finding a way for them to be together, and nothing was going to stop that. She pulled out a syringe and injected it into Larry's IV. Now, she had to hurry back to her Daniel and make him love her again.

* * *

I can't really blame Shelly, I mean it's Daniel:D

cynic


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Daniel lay back breathing heavily, testing his bonds had formed three conclusions for him. One, that he was very securely strapped down, Two, while whatever had made him seem dead, was wearing off and allowing him to move his arms torso and head, it still had a hold of this legs, which wouldn't move an inch and this led to his third and final conclusion, without legs he wasn't going anywhere. But first things first, the straps had to go before the legs even mattered. He didn't have a lot of give on the wrist straps, but Daniel knew from unfortunate first hand knowledge that these straps got tighter if you tried brute strength, but they slipped in the face of short sharp tugs. He got to work. and hoped that by the time Shelly got back he'd at least have his hands free to defend himself.

* * *

When Shelly came back she was flustered and upset.

"What's wrong?" asked Daniel trying, for all the world, not to look like he was out of breath with his exertions.

"SG-11 got hit pretty badly, but they can handle it with out me. They're all stable, except for one; he's going to die soon. They found the technician and the Doctor in the morgue." she said wringing her hands. "There are going to be questions as soon as they wake up. I have to change my plan. I have to start the process, there's still time, they'll be looking for someone with a body, they don't know you're still alive. Yes, that's it!" She started pacing talking more to herself than Daniel. "A double dose will kill us both, we can ascend together."

"Shelly, don't do this!" Daniel cried tugging at his restraints.

"But this is how it has to be Daniel, don't you understand?" She sat next to him on the cot. "I want us to be together."

"Shelly, you need help please let me go."

"I can't do that this has gone too far," she pulled out the syringe, "I'll give you your dose and then I'll inject myself. But no, that won't work."

"Shelly, please."

"Shh, I'm thinking; a double dose would kill you instantly but I want us to go together. I know, I'll give you one dose, then give myself a dose and I'll add the second doses to the IV and we'll share it, our last moments together." She smiled and kissed him again.

"You do know that you're insane." he spat at her no longer caring if she was angry. Her eyes widened and she back handed him across the face. Daniel licked the blood from his split lip and just glared at her.

"I'm sorry." she said, "Just don't say that again." she got up and left the room calling, "I'll be right back!"

Daniel tugged and strained at the straps and finally stretched it far enough to touch his own wrists. Shelly came back holding an IV, "We don't have much time." she said, "They just started sweeping the base."

"It's not too late to let me go."

"I told you we're way passed that." She hung the IV and filled two needles. "One dose apiece." she said to herself, putting the needles in her pocket. She reached over Daniel to start the IV, but he reached up and grabbed her by the shirt; he dragged her over the bed and onto the floor. Quickly, he untied his other arm and undid his legs, but his bottom half was still a lot on the sluggish side.

Daniel threw himself off the bed and dropped to the floor, his useless legs collapsing beneath him. He took a deep breath and began to drag himself toward the door. He heard Shelly stirring as he reached the wall and grabbed at the door handle. The door was locked. Shelly was across the room in seconds; rage and madness contorting her once pretty face.

"No!" she screamed, lunging at him. Daniel ended up flat on his back with Shelly sitting on his stomach, he cried out his arms above him trying to fend off the blows she rained down on him. Eventually, he caught her wildly whipping arms and there they sat a stalemate, the only sounds in the room were Shelly's gasps as she calmed from her fit. She struggled with his grip, but he held her firm.

"It doesn't have to be like this." he said. She nodded and smiling leaned into him.

"Yes, it does," she said, and head-butted him. Daniel cried out his grip loosening for a second and she tore free of him smacking him again and again, until he was still. She pulled out the needle. "I wanted to make this special." she said accusingly, "But you just had to go and ruin the moment."

She stuck the needle into his shoulder with venom; Daniel flinched and with all his strength, raised his arms and threw her off him. Shelly was caught off guard and went flying into across the floor into the wall head first. Daniel groaned as he realized she'd held on the needle and his shoulder now had a half inch gouge in it. She was only dazed with for a second her hand was still fisting the needle now dripping with Daniel's blood she charged at him blindly holding the needle above her head. as a dagger. Daniel tried to back away but his legs still weren't moving and he was exhausted, he covered his head as she came at him.

There was a single gunshot. Shelly blinked twice and fell on top of Daniel a look of utter surprise on her face. Jack pushed the door open all the way and checked the room before rushing to Daniel's side. He rolled Shelly off him, checked her pulse and then turned to look at Daniel.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, his eyes raking over the living body of his best friend.

"No," said Daniel, staring at the half-full syringe in Shelly's hand. "I'm really not."

* * *

Okay, so I had to get one last good whump in before I end this sucker! I can't believe I'm nearly Forty chapters in! This is my longest story to date, and I still have to write the end! Thanks to everyone who's supported me through this I've loved reading all your comments. Okay, back to writing...now what does chemotherapy do to the human body anyway? hmm...Later :D

Cynic


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-nine

"My hair is going to fall out." said Daniel as Jack came up to him in the infirmary. "I can't move my legs, I've thrown up more times in the last hour than I have in my entire life previously, I'm so nauseous my stomach is doing the tootsie roll everytime I even think about food, and I have a fever from an infection in my autopsy incision, because whatever that psycho injected me with has suppressed my immune system."

Jack waited until Daniel had finished, then he flashed a huge smile and wrapped his arms around him. Daniel returned the hug, but got a little worried when after a few seconds Jack didn't let go.

"Jack?" Jack arms hugged tighter. Then Daniel got it, he returned the hug again and pressed his face next to Jack's ear. "I'm going to be okay." he whispered. "I'm not dying again."

Jack pulled back his hand holding on to the back of Daniel's neck. He blinked suspiciously damp eyes. "No," he said, "you already did that today."

Daniel paled and grabbed a basin from bedside table and promptly threw up in it. Jack rubbed his back soothingly as Daniel heaved and then handed him a cup of water. Daniel spat into the basin and then sipped the water.

"Oh, god I hate this." he said lying back on the bed.

"I know," said Jack futzing with covers. "I know this is hard, but I can't help but be grateful, two hours ago I was planning your funeral, again."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Daniel; you didn't ask that psycho to fixate on you. You'll get through this, and you'll be up and boring me with your rocks in no time." Daniel closed his eyes, his exhaustion taking over.

"I hope so." he said yawning.

"I know so." said Jack, "now get some sleep, I'll come back and see you a little later." Jack patted him on the hand and Daniel drifted off to sleep.

"This is some nasty stuff," said Janet, "it never went passed preliminary testing schedules it was so lethal." Sam gasped, and Janet hurried to correct herself. "The dose Daniel got won't kill him." she said quickly.

"From what Daniel told me, it'll do a whole hell of a lot." said Jack.

"There will be side-effects." said Janet carefully, "As I said this is particularly potent stuff, and Nurse Johnson was using an almost pure solution mix, even with such a small dose we can expect the symptoms to be rapid and acute."

"And speaking of Lt. Johnson," said Jack, "How the hell did that psycho get on this base in the first place!" he cried.

"She passed the psych eval's." said Janet. "There were no indicators of this in her profile."

"Strike the thousandth for Dr Mackenzie and his team of quacks," said Jack.

"Now, Colonel..." began Hammond.

"No, with all due respect sir, this whole thing could have been avoided if those so called doctors had done their jobs!"

"When will Daniel Jackson be well again?" The table fell silent at Teal'c's question.

"It's really hard to say, Teal'c." said Janet finally, "He's very sick, his white cell count is way down, so he's going to be prone to any number of minor illnesses, we're giving him blood transfusions to replace the cells, but they'll take time to replicate, added to that is his already weakened state, thanks to whatever drug was given to him, and the months of torture he's already endured."

"Daniel said he'd lose his hair." said Jack.

"That's a possibility." said Janet, "The wounds on his chest and shoulder are infected and he's pretty bruised overall from his struggle.

"What's the bottom line, Doctor?" asked Hammond.

"It's a lot to deal with, but Daniel's strong, and he has strong friends that can see him through this, my prognosis is good." she said almost smirking, "Considering I declared him dead about eighteen hours ago I'd say it's a goddamn miracle."

* * *

Daniel was in heaven, he'd managed to wrangle a shower from the nurses (he'd given strict instructions that only the married ones could treat him) albeit sitting on a stool, it was good to get clean again. He shuddered at the thought of the last time he'd been cleaned, by Larry Smith the morgue technician, Daniel had asked after both him and Dr Child's and found the doctor had been sent home with a concussion, and a sprained wrist, but Shelly, it seemed, had wanted to buy some time and injected Larry with a heavy sedative, he wasn't expected to wake up for a few days. Daniel made a mental note to go see his would be mortician after they'd both recovered.

The water cascaded over tired, bruised muscles and Daniel stretched the ability to move still not a novelty he wanted to wear off, though that was a pleasure he'd only just begun to share with his legs, or rather his left big toe. Janet said it was great progress; Daniel was just relieved that the paralysis didn't seem to be permanent. Daniel massaged his scalp, but he was terribly disturbed when a clump of hair came free in his hand.

* * *

Ah, the wonders of modern technology! And the damage you can do with it! I'm so reluctant to end this story that's been with me for so long, I keep drawing out the angst! Rest assured that Daniel will be comforted during his painfully recovery, but rest assured that it will be painful:- D

Cynic


	41. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Jack peeked his head around the curtained area to Daniel's bed.

"He's asleep." said Janet appearing next to him. Jack jumped.

"Jesus! You could scare the hair off a cat creeping around like that!" said Jack.

"I don't creep, sir," said Janet her eyes glinting, "I glide."

"Of course you do." Jack smirked and turned back to Daniel. "What's with the hat?"

"He's going to have it rough." said Janet.

"Damn it's already started?"

"The nausea's better," she said, "but he lost good amount of hair in the shower this afternoon."

"It'll grow back?"

"Yeah, but it's not really about the hair."

"I know."

"It's about everything else that he's been through, and he won't talk to anyone."

"I know that too," said Jack.

"He's going to need help to recover, he's going to need his family."

"We're here for him, you know that."

"What about Sam?"

"What about her?"

"Teal'c has been by, with candles and asking for absolution, which of course Daniel gave, Hammond stopped by, so did Siler, and even Major Davis has been in to see how he is."

"But not Carter."

"But not Sam."

"Damn-it," Jack sighed and turned away from Daniel's area. "She's wallowing."

"Excuse me?"

"Carter might be the most well-adjusted person on SG-1, on the face of it, but she's got some serious issues when it comes to her emotions."

"How do you mean?"

"In that she can't express them, so she avoids having to face situations that require an emotional response. Why do you think she's such a good solider?" Jack raked his fingers through his hair. "God I can't deal with this now, Daniel noticed that she hasn't visited?" he asked.

"Yeah, but he won't say it bothers him."

"Of course not, Daniel knows how much of an emotional retard she is and he doesn't want to be a burden on her. Damn, she's probably been hold up in her lab since we found him."

"That was yesterday morning!"

"Yeah, so I'd better go roust her out before you have second patient from SG-1." Jack took one last look at Daniel peacefully sleeping and strode out of the infirmary.

* * *

Sam was bending over her microscope when Jack came in, but she didn't hear him.

"Carter!" Jack called. Sam jumped a mile.

"Sir! Sorry, I didn't hear you come in, is something wrong, has something happened to Daniel?" Her face paled, which was amazing because up until then Jack didn't think she could get any whiter.

"No Carter, Daniel's fine, well he's not fine his hair has already started falling out, he's sleeping."

"Thank god!" Sam put her hand on her chest. "What can I do for you, sir?" she glanced at the clock. "It's pretty late, why aren't you home yet?"

"I could ask you the same question Major, when was the last time you left the base?"

"I have work to do, sir," she said.

"No," said Jack, "you have sleep to do, and then you have Daniel visiting to do."

"I have to finish this," she said, returning to her microscope.

"Go home. That's an order Major."

Sam slammed her hands down on the desk and pushed back. "Yes, sir!" she said glaring at him.

"On second thought, I don't want you around Daniel; your attitude won't be good for his recovery."

"Sir, I can't…"

"I get it Carter, you're angry, and confused and relieved and just a little bit in denial that he's actually pulled another life out of his hat and to be honest so am I, but I'm dealing with it, I'm helping Daniel get through this, so is Teal'c in his own way, what are you doing? You're hiding, you're wallowing in your guilt and grief when you should be celebrating that Daniel didn't die!"

"Sir!"

"No, Sam, I'm only going to say this once so you should listen to me closely, Daniel needs us, he always has, even if he'd never admit it, even if he'd never ask for anything in return for his life, he really does need to know that we love him and we'd care if he had died. He needs us all Sam, that includes Teal'c with his rituals, and me with my sports and sarcasm routine, and you with your big sister bit, he won't ask for it, but he wants your chocolate walnut cookies, and he wants you to read him boring physics magazines and he wants you to climb up on the bed with him and cry over him, so that he can find the outlet and cry for himself. He needs his family, and families don't give up just because things get a little hard. Am I making myself clear?"

Sam nodded and cleared her throat, "Yes, sir."

* * *

Okay, hands up who wanted to slap Sam for her inappropriate or rather disproportional emtional responses? Or is it just me:-D

Cynic


	42. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-one

Teal'c approached the bed of Daniel Jackson, he was not apprehensive merely cautious something had happened that never happens when his scholar friend was in the infirmary: He'd asked for Teal'c. Teal'c and Daniel had a very strong relationship struck in the need for forgiveness and forged in the fires of battle. Teal'c saw himself as a protector of the young scholar as well as feeling the weight of his guilt over choosing and ultimately killing his wife, and yet Daniel Jackson had forgiven him released him of his guilt as task not so easily done, but a gesture that had always meant a great deal to Teal'c. Teal'c was a Jaffa of few words, and little visible emotion. So it was not a common occurrence for Daniel Jackson to have summoned him to his bedside, when it was O'Neill who normally imparted the comfort needed to recover. Teal'c opened the curtain slowly.

"Teal'c!" The man in the bed smiled. Teal'c looked upon his friend in concern, he was pale, his eyes were red and he had a blue cap pulled over his head. He'd lost weight and looked almost fragile. Teal'c was uncomfortable seeing his strong and passionate friend so vulnerable, and wished that O'Neill had not killed the Vak'rek responsible so quickly. However, he knew that such thoughts were not good to dwell upon and he made a note to kel noreem later and refocus those emotions.

"Daniel Jackson." said Teal'c, with a slight bow and entered the curtained area. "You asked to see me."

"Yeah," Daniel pushed himself up in bed, "I have a favor to ask."

"I will endeavor to assist you in anyway I can."

"I want you to shave my head." he said without preamble.

Teal'c just blinked for a fraction of a second, and for him that was a shocked and protracted pause.

"Why do you choose this course of action Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.

Daniel pulled of his cap, a spider web of hair followed it from his head show clearly how thin and patchy what was left had become.

"I just want it over with; it's too depressing to watch it fall out bit by bit. Please Teal'c will you help me?"

"I would be honored, when would you like to proceed?"

"As soon as possible, or now if you have the time."

"I will return with the necessary tools." said Teal'c and turned with a short bow, before he left he turned back slightly. "I am pleased you would trust me with this Daniel Jackson."

"Body, and soul, Teal'c we're family." said Daniel smiling slightly.

Teal'c was more touched by those few words than any he'd heard in his not inconsiderable experience and he could not think of anything to say to equal the intensity of the feeling he felt on hearing them, so he settled for his old standby.

"Indeed." he said and left.

* * *

I thought Teal'c needed a chapter, so I wrote one! Short I know, but Teal'c is complex in his brevity. :-D

Next up Sam's redemption and bad Star Trek references...;-)

Cynic


	43. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two

Jack found Daniel a few hours later he was staring at himself in a hand mirror and touched in the newly shorn skin on the top of his head.

"So," said Jack, "Teal'c shaved your head."

"Yeah," said Daniel putting the mirror down with a sigh, "I figured it was better to get it over with and not have little tufts everywhere."

"It looks good," Jack walked over to the bed, "very Lex Luther."

"Great I look like a cartoon bad guy?"

"No, you look like a classic evil genius."

"It could have been worse, I suppose, you could have said I look like Dr Evil."

"Now that you mention it…"

"Jack." Daniel warned.

"I'll stop by the store and pick up a dozen or so of those bandanas you like so much."

"Would you? That'd be great, my head is actually really cold, I don't know how Teal'c puts up with it."

"Practice," Jack shrugged.

"Am I interrupting?" Sam slipped into the curtain area, a bag hidden behind her back.

"Not at all Carter we were just contemplating look-alikes for Daniel's new do."

Sam looked at Daniel. "Oh, well a young Patrick Stewart obviously."

Daniel preened, "Patrick Stewart, really?"

Jack looked confused, "Who's that then?"

"Come on Jack even you must have seen The Next Generation."

"Picard, the Captain?" said Sam coaxingly.

"Star Trek? That's what you're talking about?" Jack rolled his eyes. "Scientists." he shook his head. "I'll leave you two to your sci-fi, me I'm going to do some Colonel stuff."

"Okay, Jack you can go do your Colonel stuff, so we can't bore you with our sciencey stuff." Daniel smiled. Jack just rolled his eyes and walked away.

Sam grinned and brought out the cookies from behind her back. Daniel smiled back.

"Ah, a woman after my own heart." said Daniel. "Come, sit and share with me you cookies and talk to me of life beyond this curtained cubicle." Sam perched on the edge of the bed and cracked open the cookies, she offered Daniel the bag and they sat munching for a few minutes.

"Well, SG-7 brought back a couple of interesting things, a plant that glows in the dark and a some soil samples that have some very promising trace elements, Curtis from geology was telling me there was traces of a naquada compound."

"A compound?" said Daniel through a mouthful of cookie.

"Yeah, I know!" said Sam delighted he understood the significance. "We've been trying for years to create a stable compound that has similar properties of naquada and yet contains less of the pure ore, because it's so hard to come by."

"What's the sample combined with?"

"We don't know yet, Curtis is running tests and hopefully we'll know soon. I'll tell you it's been pretty dicey experimenting with that stuff, heating naquada to a point where it will bond with another material is difficult because it's so dense, and because at high temperatures it's so volatile." Sam pulled out another cookie. "I've had to re-model my test bunker a couple of times!" She said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know how the General feels about you blowing stuff up on base." said Daniel with a grin.

"So did Janet say when you'd be getting out of here? I'd love to show you some of my test results."

"I'm going ambulatory in a few days, but I start PT tomorrow."

"That's great!" said Sam giving him a genuine smile, and then she turned serious. "So how are doing?"

"I'm fine, Janet said when I can use a walker she'll let me go stay with Jack."

"That's not what I meant, Daniel." she said, "And you know it."

"Don't shrink me Sam," Daniel warned, "I'm dealing with this."

"You're dealing with it?" Sam snorted. "You were dead Daniel and there was no Oma this time. We thought…" she bit her lip.

"Sam, I'm sorry I know this has been hard on you, on all of you, but I need to think about me right now."

"And that's the right thing to do," she rushed to reassure him, "but we're here to help you, if you want to talk about it." she sniffed. "I'm sorry; I wish I was better at this." She blinked away tears.

"No, Sam don't cry," Daniel held his arms out to her and she went into them. "Shush, I didn't die, I was alive, it just like I was sleeping, ya know, it's okay, we'll be okay now." He glanced up to see Jack at the curtain and nodded to him, Jack nodded back and retreated out the way he came.

* * *

See? Sam can do emotion right she just needs a kick start sometimes:-D

Cynic


	44. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

A bead of sweat rolled from the ridge of Daniel's brow down his nose and dripped on to the floor as he took one more agonizing step, his arms locked, hands fisted white knuckled on the bars.

"Come on Daniel!" called Steven; the enthusiastic and at times ruthless physiotherapist.

Daniel lifted a reluctant foot and took the final step to his wheel-chair, where he collapsed exhausted. He pulled off his now soaking wet bandana and wiped his face and neck with it.

"Well done!" Steven congratulated his charge and he wheeled Daniel to the edge of the workout room. He handed over water bottle. "Have you been doing those exercises I showed you?"

"Everyday." said Daniel taking a large swig of water.

"That's good you're making progress."

"Slowly." said Daniel under his breath.

"It's better to go slow than too fast and hurt yourself worse than before." Steven took the bottle from him. He glanced up at the doorway behind them. "You're ride's here." He straightened up. "Remember what I said." Steven walked away as Jack came up to them.

"How's it going?" asked Jack.

"Slowly." said Daniel allowing Jack to take control of the chair and wheel them out.

"Slow and steady with physio. Daniel, you know that."

"I know, and I used to be a patient man, I must have caught the military Type 'A' personality." Jack helped Daniel get changed in the locker room as they talked.

"Nah, this is just the first class you took where you're not allowed to study ahead and ace the exam ahead of schedule."

Daniel scowled at him as they got into the elevator. "I use the walker at home." he said thumping the chair.

"No you use the walker to go between the couch and the kitchen or the couch and the bathroom and you get out of breath doing that much, stomping around the corridors with that thing will get you over-worked and over-tired and do you no good at all." They stepped off the elevator and were about to head to the next set that would take them to the surface when the PA system sounded above them.

"Colonel O'Neill to General Hammond's office, Colonel O'Neill please report to the General's office."

"Damn," Jack cursed and went over to one of the wall phones. He spoke a few words and hung up. "Daniel, Hammond needs me to sit in on this meeting, do you want me to get an airman to drive you home?"

"How long is this going to take?"

"Couple of hours, maybe," Jack shrugged.

"I can go see Janet she asked me to stop by to talk. I don't know how long it'll be, but I can always go hang out in my office until you're done."

"Okay," said Jack hitting the down button, "but if this meeting runs longer than a couple of hours I want you to get Sam or an airman to drive you home. I do not; I repeat I do not want Janet on my ass if I find you've spent several hours in your office working when you're not even supposed to pick up a book for the next week. Are you hearing me Daniel?"

"Yes, mother." said Daniel rolling out from under Jack's swiping hand.

* * *

Janet took several deep breaths; she wasn't sure how she should take this, hell she wasn't sure how she would even approach the subject. She'd just gotten done reading Daniel's psychological evaluation, and according to Dr Randal Daniel was working the therapy well, he spoke rationally and carefully and logically about everything that had happened and he expressed feelings of frustration and anger and resentment at the situation, all perfectly normal, except Dr Randal wasn't Mackenzie he knew how intelligent Daniel was and while the 'progress' made in the sessions was real there was something Daniel was holding back, something about what happened to him that he refused to talk about and it was something that was preventing him from truly coming to terms with what had happened. 

Dr Randal wasn't especially new to the SGC, but this was his first extended session with the archeologist, and while he expected, that given time to build a rapport, he could talk the point from his patient he however thought it would be more expedient and not to mention healthy to have one of his close friends try to talk to him about it. Janet sighed, she could ask Jack to try, he'd already informed her that Daniel wasn't sleeping, and when he was it was only for short stretches, that could be a good opening for Jack to draw him out, but still, Janet looked down at the toxicology report, she had a sneaking suspicion of what Daniel had left out of his report and it gave her the chills to think of it.

* * *

Sorry It's been so long between posts, I'm wading through to angsty waters here and want to finish this story with a bang instead of a sniffle.

Later,

Cynic


	45. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-Four

Daniel rolled out of the elevator on the infirmary level and left Jack to go to his meeting with Hammond. He spotted Janet in her office doing paperwork and aimed his wheel-chair in that direction. He knocked on the door and went in.

"Janet?"

"Daniel!" Janet greeted him with a smile. "Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, it's fine I just finished a PT session, but Jack's been called into a meeting and I thought I'd kill the time by bothering you." He grinned.

"You are welcome to bother me anytime you know that." Janet stood up and went to the coffee maker. "You want a cup?" she asked.

"Is water wet?" he asked with a grin.

"So, how are you getting on with Steven?"

"He's a bear, but he's nice about it." Daniel took a sip of the coffee and sighed. "How are Larry and Dr Childs?" he asked.

"I sent Larry home yesterday, and Dr Childs is back in the morgue."

"Does either of them remember what happened?"

"No, Dr Child's didn't see anything before she was knocked out, and the Staff Sergeant was given a strong sedative that combined with the head-wound, he barely remembers most of that day."

"He didn't miss much." said Daniel, as he unconsciously rubbed his chest.

"Daniel, you know I'm here as a friend if you want to talk to me."

"I know Janet, and I appreciate that I do."

"But…"

"But nothing, I'm fine and there are some things better left unsaid." He laid his cup on the sideboard and unlocked his wheels. "I'll see you later."

"The longer you keep this bottled up the worse it becomes." Janet called before he could maneuver himself around to the door.

"Jack told you I wasn't sleeping." he said not turning back.

"He's worried about you and so am I." Daniel looked back at her. "I got the toxicology report back." she gestured to the folder on her desk. "The drug, in your coffee, that made us think…" she took a breath, "you were dead."

"And what was it?"

"It's chemically similar to blow-fish poison and curare. It slows the body functions down to barely detectable levels."

"We already knew that."

"Yes, but in all the tests, it doesn't mention rendering the person unconscious." Daniel froze. "You were awake." said Janet.

"The whole time." said Daniel.

"Daniel."

"No, its okay Janet, I already know, I felt it, every thump on my chest every breath you breathed into my lungs. I know how long it took for you to give up," he said smiling sadly, "and it wasn't even you, it was everyone else they stopped you," he was blinking back tears now and so was Janet, "and I was grateful! You know how much the shocks hurt?" he cried wiping his eyes, it was as if a gate had been opened and he couldn't stop, it even if he wanted to, "But then you kissed me on my forehead, and you told me you were sorry, and I wanted so badly to tell you I was still there, that I wasn't dead, that I wasn't gone, but I couldn't move, I couldn't even blink.

"Then there was Jack and he was yelling at me, and crying and holding me, and I could see how upset Sam and Teal'c were. I was screaming at them, I'm not dead! I'm not dead! But no one could hear me, and then there was a sheet over my head and no one could see me. I was no longer Daniel Jackson anymore, I was his corpse."

Daniel looked up at her through bloodshot tired angry eyes. "I thought I was dead." he said staring at her tears falling freely now.

Janet was up from her desk and kneeling next to him in seconds; she grabbed him and he held her tightly and they both cried themselves to silence. "It was Larry." said Daniel after a few minutes. "He was the first to realize, even before me," he laughed hollowly, "It was the blood, you see…"

"Dead bodies don't bleed." Janet whispered horrified.

* * *

Janet sat alone in her office she was replaying her conversation with Daniel, and she wished not for the first time, that she could do or say something that would make it better. At least now it was out in the open, and he'd promised to tell Dr Randal, and maybe take something to help him sleep. She'd finally got him to talk about his nightmares and it wasn't something she'd ever soon forget… 

"When I sleep I'm back on that table Janet, laid out like a slab of meat, I was so cold." he said drawing his jacket around him a little more. It explained the four layers of clothes he was wearing and had been since being released from the infirmary. "I couldn't move, and I was completely at the mercy of anyone who happened by, I don't ever want to feel that helpless or exposed again." He sighed. "I know that nightmares will fade, they always do, but I didn't ever want anyone to know that horror. I'm so sorry Janet." She'd scolded him then and called him a silly man, and they'd cried, and hugged and cried some more.

Janet wiped tears from her eyes again as she relived the scene, it wasn't fair, she thought, that a man so amazing would be forced to suffer so much in a life that was all too frequently so short.

* * *


	46. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty-five

"I'm not dead!"

"Daniel."

"I'm not dead!"

"Daniel!"

"I'M NOT DEAD!"

"Daniel, wake up!" Jack grabbed the sleeping man's shoulders and shook.

"Please Jack, can't you see, I'm not dead?" Daniel whispered into his neck, then he stiffened and Jack knew that the man in his arms had woken up. "Jack?" Daniel pushed out of Jack's arms.

"You were having a nightmare." said Jack.

"I guess so." said Daniel leaning back against the head of the bed.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"You were talking." said Jack.

"I was?"

"Screaming actually."

"Jack..."

"You said, I'm not dead and then when I tried to wake you up, you said 'please Jack can't you see I'm not dead?'"

"Really? That's weird."

"Really? 'cos it makes perfect sense to me." said Jack. "Because the last time I held you like that you were dead."

"Don't Jack."

"Don't what? Daniel, don't realize that you've been lying to me? Don't be horrified that you were aware of what was happening. Don't feel absolutely mortified that you were asking for my help and I couldn't see through my own grief and anger to help you, to be there for you?"

"You were there for me Jack."

"In the end, after it all had happened, Daniel you were almost autopsied, for crying out loud! I should have realized."

"How, Jack?" asked Daniel looking at his stricken friend, "How could you have known, when you'd just watched them pound on my chest for forty-minutes, shocking me, breathing for me? How could you in all your medical knowledge rationally know that I was alive when everything around you told you I was dead, hell Jack, for a while there even **I** thought I was dead! What knowledge do you have that could have made a difference?"

"It was you, Daniel, that's all the information I should have needed, it was you."

* * *

"Why did I have to wait so long before I got the stitches out anyway?" Daniel was feeling a little exposed sitting there in the infirmary with no shirt on. 

"Because it was a deep cut and I wanted to be sure the internal tissue had healed, also I used a finer thread to reduce the scarring, though you might want to talk to Dr Warner if you want to talk to a plastic surgeon about it."

"Whatever you did is fine Janet, I can barely even see the stitches, I would have forgotten about them, but for the fact that they itch like mad." Daniel gestured to the thin line on his chest, the only reminder of his 'autopsy.'

"I do good work don't I?" she smiled at him as she prepared her instrument tray. She rolled her stool closer and started to work on the stitches on his chest. "So, how are things?"

"I slept through the night." said Daniel lightly, Janet smiled but didn't comment. "You were right; talking to Jack helped, though I don't like that he now has even more guilt about not realizing I was alive."

"That's something we're all guilty of."

"No, the only person who was guilty of anything was Shelly, and maybe me for encouraging her."

"Daniel you made friends with the girl there's nothing wrong with that!"

"I know I just wish I could have seen it."

"No one saw it Daniel, even the specially trained psychologists in charge of screening people, not just for military service but for service in the SGC one of the most stressful and taxing postings on the planet!"

"She'd been here from the beginning, Janet."

"She was?"

"She said she helped treat me for sarcophagus addiction."

"Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten."

"So did I, and she was pissed."

"I can imagine. Okay, all done, you can put your shirt back on now."

"Thank god," Daniel pulled his T-shirt back on and knocked off his bandana in the meantime.

"Looks like this is well on its way," Janet couldn't resist fussing the newly grown fuzz that was revealed.

"Yeah," Daniel blushed and touched his head. "It seems to be coming in pretty good."

"So you think you'll leave it short, or grow it out a bit."

"Are you kidding? After this I may never cut it again!"

"Never say never, Daniel, you may find a pony-tail is something unsuited for field conditions."

"And I have saved so much time in the shower since I had it cut." said Daniel. "I wait and see how it feels when it really comes in."

"Good plan. Are you off home?" asked Janet, knowing that, after graduating to a walking stick in physical therapy Daniel had been allowed to go back to his apartment, though by all accounts he had a steady stream of visitors and consistent overnight guest of one of his team-mates, usually Jack.

"No, I'm going to meet Sam, and then we're going to meet Jack and Teal'c and we are going out for a team dinner."

"That sounds nice." Janet smiled.

"You're welcome to join us." said Daniel, "Jack said something about Margaritas until dawn."

"As tempting as that sounds, I have to get home to Cassie, and you, you are not to drink, not with the medication you're still on."

"I know, I wasn't planning on drinking, slowing my body functions isn't high on any of my to-do lists." Janet sighed as she watched him, he'd come so far, but there was still healing to be done and that had to happened with his team, his family.

* * *

Daniel limped his way up to the surface elevator where Jack, Sam, and Teal'c were already waiting for him. 

"Daniel!" Sam smiled when she saw him. "How'd it go with Janet?"

Daniel leaned on his cane and looked at his feet. "Well, she just gave me some news."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Jack was by Daniel's side in a second.

"Everything's great!" Daniel looked at him with a big grin. "I just got my stitches out and another week or so of physio and I can ditch the cane. I'm back!" Jack grinned too and slapped Daniel on the back. "What was that for?" asked Daniel flinching.

"For making me believe there was something wrong."

"For faking out the mother-hen in him." said Sam a huge smile on her face.

"Indeed, this is good news." said Teal'c a broad grin across the normally stoic face.

"What that Jack's a mother-hen? We already knew that Teal'c." said Daniel.

"Yuk it up boy let's eat, you are paying." said Jack as he hit the button for the elevator.

"Who said I was paying?" said Daniel.

"Whoever dies last pays." said Jack.

"Well, technically I wasn't dead."

"Still counts." said Sam and Teal'c nodded in agreement.

"Okay," said Daniel as they all piled into the elevator car. "But I get to pick the restaurant, and I'm in the mood for something spicy!" The other three groaned. "Come on guys live a little!" were the last words heard as the doors shut to take them to the surface.

* * *

Later, at Jack's house the four friends found themselves sprawled out in the living room. Daniel had taken residence on the couch, his legs stretched out and feet sitting, at her insistence in Sam's lap, where she had her feet up on the coffee-table. Sam had her head tipped back and she was sleeping with her mouth open sucking and snorting air at random intervals. 

Jack looked carefully over his team-mates, his evaluation turned up the sleeping forms of two exhausted scientists and one hovering Jaffa.

"It was too close." said Jack in a whisper, "hell it wasn't just close, it was there, he was dead, again."

"He has been returned to us, whole." said Teal'c, "We will not fail him again."

Jack smirked, his cynical side seeing the black humor of Teal'c statement. "Never ever, make absolute statements." he said.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"As much as we might want to," said Sam as she'd woken up while the two men spoke, "and try not to and do everything possible to prevent something or someone happening to him, to any of us really, there are things beyond our control, if we're honest most things are beyond our control."

"She's right," said Jack, "There is only one absolute that we can swear to."

"What is that O'Neill?"

"Death certificates won't be issued until after a twenty-four hour probationary period."

Teal'c bowed in agreement.

"And we will never fail him again." said Jack as he sat back in his chair and continued to watch his friend sleep.

The End.

* * *

And that's all I wrote! Thank you so much for all your support along this long and painful (for Daniel) journey, I hope you all had as much fun reading this story as I have writing it. Special Thanks to the following people who's comments have encouraged and challenged me along the way to finally finishing this story: 

Cleo the Muse, Spookysister7, Deliverer, bluedragon1836, E. Nagrom, starjems88, chiclete, shivy, Goodfairy, nikita,, Khentkawes, lmdormon, forestwife, Danny Phantom SG-1, Halfpastdead001, BoomerCat, Nyx Ro, KatieMichelleBelle, rider-of-snakes, dannyswoman, reen212000, Stargate Fan, sir Newton, State of Matter, angelfire east 24, Talzin, mtee1958, DementedLeaf, nikita6725, JAJ, purplegryphon, Trish Jean, klamari, Jeanny, mmkfire, Thraesja, purplegryphon, Dietwater, angelvala87, Dania, xxDark-Elfx, Firetop, My-Muse-Is-a-Snicker's-bar, booster-t, American Gypsy.

Thank you to everyone else who read and supported me in their thoughts. I hope you'll come back and join me for a new story in the hopefully not too distant future.

Have Fun

Later,

Cynic


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